Maps Are Not Neutral: Cartographers Challenge Old Western Bias
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As political situations around the world continue to change quickly, a group of cartographers is challenging how maps have long shown the world. They argue that a map is never neutral.
For centuries, many Western-made maps have shown Africa as smaller than it really is. In fact, Africa is a huge continent, large enough to contain several other countries within its true size.
This distortion has shaped how people around the world perceive Africa. Cartographers say this is not an accident, but the result of choices made by powerful Western nations long ago.
The mapmakers now working on this issue describe their goal as decolonizing maps. This means removing outdated ideas and unfair patterns that came from centuries of Western influence over how the world is represented.
According to these experts, every map involves decisions: what to include, what to leave out, and how to draw borders. These choices always reflect someone's perspective, never a neutral truth.
Because political situations are shifting so fast today, many people are paying closer attention to how maps represent countries and regions. This has renewed interest in making maps more accurate and fair.
The cartographers hope that by changing how maps are made, they can also change how people understand global power, size, and history. They believe better maps can lead to better understanding between nations.
Vocabulary10 words
- cartographers
- people whose job is making maps
- neutral
- not favoring any side; fair
- continent
- one of the world's largest land areas
- perceive
- to see or understand something
- decolonizing
- removing old unfair systems of control
- borders
- lines that separate countries
- perspective
- a particular way of seeing something
- accurate
- correct and exact
- distortion
- a change that makes something look wrong
- influence
- the power to affect how things happen
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Quiz
Answer key
1. A map is never neutral 2. Smaller than its true size 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
As political situations around the world continue to change quickly, a group of _____ is challenging how maps have long shown the world.
They argue that a map is never _____.
For centuries, many Western-made maps have shown _____ as smaller than it really is.
This distortion has shaped how people around the world _____ Africa.
The mapmakers now working on this issue describe their goal as _____ maps.
Every map involves decisions about _____ and what to leave out.
These choices always reflect someone's _____, never a neutral truth.
Many people are paying closer attention to how maps represent _____ and regions.
The cartographers hope to make maps more _____ and fair.
They believe better maps can lead to better understanding between _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think maps have not always shown countries at their true size?
- How might a distorted map affect the way people think about a country or continent?
- Do you think it is important to change old maps? Why or why not?
- What other examples of bias in everyday information can you think of?
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