Jerusalem Online

Maps have changed quickly in recent years, and this book examines what that shift means. Its central argument is that more advanced technology does not make a map neutral, so critical cartography remains the right lens for asking who holds power over how space is drawn and displayed. The book focuses on three traits of online maps: they are fragmented, they are constantly changing, and their inner workings are hard to see. It calls for new ways of theorising and researching maps that take these traits seriously.

The analysis rests on ontological social theory and feminist technoscience. These ideas are tested through three mapping controversies involving Jerusalem, each centred on a different map provider and a recent development in digital mapping. One case looks at Google Maps and the way authorship of web maps is spread across many hands. Another examines Waze and algorithmic navigation. The last considers OpenStreetMap and crowdsourced mapping. Each case draws on online media, historical maps and ethnographic fieldwork.

The book is intended for faculty and advanced students in Urban Studies and Critical Cartography, and it should be especially relevant to scholars working in digital geographies.