{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,30]],"date-time":"2026-01-30T22:36:25Z","timestamp":1769812585012,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress)","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cartographica"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2007,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:p> There has been much debate over the last 10 to 15 years focused on whether GIS are objective neutral tools or serve as agents of corporate or state interests. Despite the arguments, there has been no clear and decisive outcome, leading some scholars to seek different ways of contextualizing GIS development, use, and research; Daniel Sui and Michael Goodchild are two such scholars. They claim that GIS are media and that, therefore, investigations of GIS can be informed by Marshall McLuhan's theories of media. Their findings are compelling at the macro scale. This paper builds upon their work by applying this concept at the micro level in two case studies: one in India and the other in Minneapolis. The results of this analysis support those of Sui and Goodchild. Therefore, using the GIS as media tetrad (a) underscores the growing importance of GIS as modern forms of communication or media; (b) illustrates to developers, users, and critics of GIS that GIS-based decisions can and do affect specific people in both positive and negative ways; and (c) reminds society and the GIS community of the \u201creversals\u201d that are possible from unquestioned adoption of GIS and GIS technologies. <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3138\/carto-v42-1-065","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2007,6,20]],"date-time":"2007-06-20T16:43:33Z","timestamp":1182357813000},"page":"65-86","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Geographic Information Systems as Media and Society: Does GIS Wear a White or Black Stetson?"],"prefix":"10.3138","volume":"42","author":[{"given":"William W.","family":"Crumplin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geography \/ Laurentian University \/ Sudbury \/ ON \/ Canada"}]}],"member":"1696","reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"440","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0033-0124.1993.00440.x","volume":"45","author":"Armstrong MP","year":"1993","journal-title":"Professional Geographer"},{"key":"B2","first-page":"44","volume":"42","author":"Boring EG","year":"1930","journal-title":"American Journal of Psychology"},{"issue":"1","key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.2307\/4610816","volume":"27","author":"Carey J","year":"1967","journal-title":"Antioch Review"},{"key":"B4","first-page":"219","volume":"39","author":"Carey J","year":"1970","journal-title":"American Scholar"},{"key":"B5","volume-title":"Exploring Geographic Information Systems","author":"Chrisman N","year":"1999"},{"key":"B6","unstructured":"(2006).City of Minneapolis.Official Web Site of the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Available at http:\/\/www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us\/inspections\/board-bldgs.asp"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"84","DOI":"10.1559\/152304095782540546","volume":"22","author":"Crampton J","year":"1995","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"442","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0033-0124.1993.00442.x","volume":"45","author":"Cromley RG","year":"1993","journal-title":"Professional Geographer"},{"key":"B9","unstructured":"Crumplin, WW (2002).\u201cGeographic Information Systems Are Media: The Sum of the Layers Is More Than Database Management, Mapping and Spatial Analysis.\u201d.MA thesis.ON:University of Waterloo"},{"issue":"1","key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"58","DOI":"10.1559\/152304095782540573","volume":"22","author":"Curry MR","year":"1995","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"key":"B11","first-page":"68","volume-title":"Ground Truth: The Social Implications of Geographic Information Systems","author":"Curry MR","year":"1995"},{"issue":"2","key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1559\/152304000783547920","volume":"27","author":"de Man WHE","year":"2000","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Science"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0033-0124.1983.00135.x","volume":"35","author":"Dobson J","year":"1983","journal-title":"Professional Geographer"},{"key":"B14","unstructured":"Dudley, G (1998).\u201cPolitical Aspects of Geographical Information Technologies with Examples from Imperial and Post-Imperial India.\u201d.PhD diss.ON:University of Waterloo"},{"key":"B15","unstructured":"Elwood, S (2000).\u201cInformation for Change: The Social and Political Impacts of Geographic Information Technologies.\u201d.PhD diss.Minneapolis:University of Minnesota"},{"issue":"2","key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1559\/152304098782594553","volume":"25","author":"Elwood S","year":"1998","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"key":"B17","volume-title":"McLuhan and Baudrillard: The Masters of Implosion","author":"Genosko G","year":"1999"},{"issue":"3","key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1559\/152304001782153017","volume":"28","author":"Ghose R","year":"2001","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Science"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1080\/02693799208901893","volume":"6","author":"Goodchild MF","year":"1992","journal-title":"International Journal of Geographical Information Systems"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"444","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0033-0124.1993.00444.x","volume":"45","author":"Goodchild MF","year":"1993","journal-title":"Professional Geographer"},{"issue":"4","key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.3138\/5717-2P33-0332-7364","volume":"36","author":"Goodchild MF","year":"1999","journal-title":"Cartographica"},{"key":"B22","volume-title":"The Method Is the Message: Rethinking McLuhan through Critical Theory","author":"Grosswiler P","year":"1998"},{"issue":"2","key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.1559\/152304098782594580","volume":"25","author":"Harris T","year":"1998","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"key":"B24","first-page":"196","volume-title":"Ground Truth: The Social Implications of Geographic Information Systems","author":"Harris T","year":"1995"},{"issue":"4","key":"B25","first-page":"42","volume":"8","year":"1995","journal-title":"GIS World"},{"issue":"4","key":"B26","volume":"23","author":"Hirst M","year":"1998","journal-title":"Canadian Journal of Communication"},{"key":"B27","volume-title":"PhD diss","author":"Hoeschele W","year":"1998"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"293","DOI":"10.1111\/0004-5608.00196","volume":"90","author":"Hoeschele W","year":"2000","journal-title":"Annals of the Association of American Geographers"},{"issue":"4","key":"B29","first-page":"1","volume":"14","author":"Jeffrey L","year":"1989","journal-title":"Canadian Journal of Communication"},{"issue":"4","key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.22230\/cjc.1998v23n4a1058","volume":"23","author":"Jones P","year":"1998","journal-title":"Canadian Journal of Communication"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"645","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-8306.00309","volume":"92","author":"Kwan M-P","year":"2002","journal-title":"Annals of the Association of American Geographers"},{"key":"B32","volume-title":"Geographic Information Systems and Science","author":"Longley PA","year":"2001"},{"key":"B33","volume-title":"Some Truth with Maps: A Primer on Symbolization and Design","author":"MacEachren A","year":"1993"},{"key":"B34","volume-title":"Understanding Media: The Extension of Man","author":"McLuhan M","year":"1964"},{"key":"B35","volume-title":"Laws of Media: The New Science","author":"McLuhan M","year":"1988"},{"key":"B36","volume-title":"The Global Village: Transformations in World Life and Media in the 21st Century","author":"McLuhan M","year":"1989"},{"issue":"1","key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1559\/152304095782540582","volume":"22","author":"Miller R","year":"1995","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"key":"B38","volume-title":"How to Lie with Maps","author":"Monmonier M","year":"1991"},{"issue":"1","key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1559\/152304095782540609","volume":"22","author":"Obermeyer NJ","year":"1995","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"issue":"2","key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1559\/152304098782594599","volume":"25","author":"Obermeyer NJ","year":"1998","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"issue":"1","key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1559\/152304095782540500","volume":"22","author":"Onsrud HJ","year":"1995","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"451","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0033-0124.1993.00451.x","volume":"45","author":"Onsrud HJ","year":"1993","journal-title":"Professional Geographer"},{"key":"B43","first-page":"1","volume-title":"Ground Truth: The Social Implications of Geographic Information Systems","author":"Onsrud HJ","year":"1995"},{"key":"B44","volume-title":"Elements of Cartography","author":"Robinson A","year":"1995","edition":"6"},{"issue":"1","key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1559\/152304095782540564","volume":"22","author":"Rundstrom RA","year":"1995","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"issue":"4","key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3138\/3JMU-3527-63M6-0883","volume":"36","author":"Schuurman N","year":"1999","journal-title":"Cartographica"},{"key":"B47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"569","DOI":"10.1191\/030913200100189111","volume":"24","author":"Schuurman N","year":"2000","journal-title":"Progress in Human Geography"},{"key":"B48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shaw, N (1999).Review of The Method Is the Message: Rethinking McLuhan through Critical Theory by Paul Grosswiler.Canadian Journal of Communication.24,1,Available at http:\/\/www.cjc-online.ca\/viewarticle.php?id=510","DOI":"10.22230\/cjc.1999v24n1a1087"},{"issue":"1","key":"B49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1559\/152304095782540555","volume":"22","author":"Sheppard E","year":"1995","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"key":"B50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"797","DOI":"10.1080\/136588199241021","volume":"13","author":"Sheppard E","year":"1999","journal-title":"International Journal of Geographical Information Science"},{"key":"B51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"775","DOI":"10.1080\/136588100750022787","volume":"14","author":"Sieber RE","year":"2000","journal-title":"International Journal of Geographical Information Science"},{"key":"B52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1111\/1541-0064.02e12","volume":"47","author":"Sieber RE","year":"2003","journal-title":"Canadian Geographer"},{"key":"B53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"387","DOI":"10.1080\/13658810110038924","volume":"15","author":"Sui DZ","year":"2001","journal-title":"International Journal of Geographical Information Science"},{"key":"B54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1111\/1541-0064.02e08","volume":"47","author":"Sui DZ","year":"2003","journal-title":"Canadian Geographer"},{"key":"B55","first-page":"51","volume-title":"Ground Truth: The Social Implications of Geographic Information Systems","author":"Taylor PJ","year":"1995"},{"key":"B56","first-page":"88","volume-title":"Ground Truth: The Social Implications of Geographic Information Systems","author":"Veregin H","year":"1995"},{"issue":"1","key":"B57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1559\/152304095782540537","volume":"22","author":"Weiner D","year":"1995","journal-title":"Cartography and Geographic Information Systems"},{"key":"B58","first-page":"181","volume-title":"McLuhan Hot and Cool","author":"Williams R","year":"1967"},{"key":"B59","volume-title":"Television: Technology and Cultural Form","author":"Williams R","year":"1974"},{"key":"B60","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3138\/9781442677142","volume-title":"McLuhan, or Modernism in Reverse","author":"Willmott G","year":"1996"},{"key":"B61","volume-title":"The Power of Maps","author":"Wood D","year":"1992"}],"container-title":["Cartographica"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/utppublishing.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.3138\/carto-v42-1-065","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,13]],"date-time":"2025-03-13T00:54:06Z","timestamp":1741827246000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/utppublishing.com\/doi\/10.3138\/carto-v42-1-065"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2007,3]]},"references-count":61,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2007,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.3138\/carto-v42-1-065"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3138\/carto-v42-1-065","relation":{},"ISSN":["0317-7173","1911-9925"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0317-7173","type":"print"},{"value":"1911-9925","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2007,3]]}}}