GEO5200 - Geospatial Ethics

Course Description

Geospatial Ethics has become a growing object of public concern, provoked by disruptive digital technologies— user tracking and targeted ads, facial recognition, unchecked data collection and surveillance, all set loose on society with apparently little ethical reflection or wisdom. Geospatial mapping technologies have tremendous potential for the common good. But without ethical reflection and wisdom, the same technologies can lead to great harms—some intended, some simply the result of narrowly or poorly conceived projects.

This course will focus upon scrutinizing geospatial technologies and practices for their ethical quality. The purpose of this course is to enhance geospatial training and informed decision-making. The course will be structured to respond to the needs of working professionals and those being trained to work in geo-intelligence and related fields. To that end, the course is structured in 3, 1-credit modules. To address basic ethics, application and geospatial technology, and role of the geospatial professional.  The course will use vignettes, case studies, and situational analyses to apply lessons from readings and class discussions.

Learner Outcomes

• Synthesize how geospatial data is collected, analyzed, evaluated and used.
• Using ethically- informed decision making in use of and analysis of geospatial data.

Duration