Mapping dissent: displacement and eviction in India

From Maps4change

Audiences:

Primary: Groups and individuals around the country who are working on the issue, who can then access information on similar work elsewhere. Secondary: All those interested as the map will be public and can be accessed.

Abstract:

There is a large amount of displacement and eviction happening in different parts of the country. There is a certain pattern easily traceable through government and company sources of the kind of projects which initiate this displacement/eviction. However, on the other hand, since the 1950s onwards there have been movements and organisations (local/regional/national/international) who have been working on issues related to displacement. The areas and information on most of these movements/groups are often difficult to trace. While the national and international groups have some semblance of communication and networking with one another, the groups in different regions whose work has tremendous reach within local populations are often not connected to or even known to one another. The purpose of these connections are:

First, to network among one another to think of specific, time bound campaigns that can be national or regional in nature.

Second, to learn from one another's experiences and strategies and to share resources.

Third, to trace a trend of these struggles and movements so as to visible such an image in the computer based public sphere.

Data:

First the available data on the internet will be compiled. Following which, most data will be collected from different parts of the country by speaking to organisations and individuals who work on the issue. This will be to make the basic map. The map can however be changed by informing the creators who will then proceed to make the change. Data will consist of name of group/organisation, areas of work (geographical and thematic), year of formation, address and any other resources the group wishes to share.

The data will be collected with a combination of two approaches depending on whichever is most effective in different contexts:

1. . By state.
2. . By common cause of displacement: such as mining, dams, nature conservation, urban development projects, conflict/war etc.

A complex set of data will be made on a spreadsheet which will then be mapped on a google map. Any further information will then be added once the basic markers are in place.

Map type:

Public.

It would require a blog or any such web portal which can then facilitate sharing of information so that the map can be updated periodically. Other specific means of sharing the process need to be figured out. It can be made collaborative over time as interest increases and collaborators can be invited from various parts of the country.

Other media content: Photographs, videos, tables, posters, links to websites and so on.

Issues:

1. . Very limited access to this information unless one is actually in the area of concern.
2. . Safety of the organisations/groups mapped as many work against state policies through different means and the map might be misused.
3. . What would be the time frame that is to be included in this map? If there is a time frame, how then to incorporate time based changes in the organisation/group/area into the map? Or should this particular map simply trace existing movements/organisations and leave it open for further changes in the future?

Technical help required:

Google maps basics.

Other thoughts: a.k.a Grand hopes! :)

While the actual data required to make this map is rather extensive, the map itself will remain a process in itself and part of larger processes. Once an initial map is made it will change with time. There are to be two basic features to this map which are also the intended objectives the map is to fulfill.

1. To visibilise social movements at a national level - a tool which can be used in various advocacy efforts. It will make a clear point that these movements have existed in the region and will continue to exist. The map will make a visual statement while also providing access to further information if so desired. - a tool which will communicate to activists around the country that the trend is national and if any resources, sounding boards or other forms of assistance and networking are needed, this can be a tool to initiate communication.

2. It will be a live archive of movements/struggles around the issue of displacement and eviction.

3. For researchers who wish to use mapping, it can be a base map on the subject, which can then be layered and complicated further as per their focus which may be issue based, thematic, historical or a combination of these and many more approaches.

By the next workshop:

1. . Mapping of at least two states (hopefully more): Tamilnadu and Delhi.
2. . Data collected on at least two thematic areas, namely displacement due to dams and mines.

Wannabe mapper :) : Ponni Arasu