Comments on: Historical Maps Preserve Prejudice http://www.vector1media.com/spatialsustain/historical-maps-preserve-prejudice.html Promoting Spatial Design for a Sustainable Tomorrow Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:39:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Terry http://www.vector1media.com/spatialsustain/historical-maps-preserve-prejudice.html/comment-page-1#comment-15307 Terry Tue, 05 May 2009 10:53:08 +0000 http://vector1media.com/spatialsustain/?p=2938#comment-15307 I remember once seeing an old National Geographic map that divided up the US by race. It was not very flattering to the American mindset. It was, however, quite accurate. We often lose sight of the fact that the accuracy of a map is often in regard to what it tells us about the social and cultural conditions of the map maker. I remember once seeing an old National Geographic map that divided up the US by race. It was not very flattering to the American mindset. It was, however, quite accurate. We often lose sight of the fact that the accuracy of a map is often in regard to what it tells us about the social and cultural conditions of the map maker.

]]> By: Stephen Lead http://www.vector1media.com/spatialsustain/historical-maps-preserve-prejudice.html/comment-page-1#comment-15261 Stephen Lead Mon, 04 May 2009 06:00:07 +0000 http://vector1media.com/spatialsustain/?p=2938#comment-15261 The Sydney Morning Herald said: "Castes have long since been abolished, and the old buraku villages have largely faded away or been swallowed by Japan's sprawling metropolises. But they still face prejudice, based almost entirely on where they live or their ancestors lived. Moving is little help, because employers or parents of potential spouses can hire agencies to check for buraku ancestry through Japan's elaborate family records, which can span back over a hundred years. An employee at a large, well-known Japanese company, who works in personnel and has direct knowledge of its hiring practices, said the company actively screens out burakumin job seekers." It seems a bit strange to target Google for publishing old maps, when it's the irrational prejudice which is the problem....... The Sydney Morning Herald said:

“Castes have long since been abolished, and the old buraku villages have largely faded away or been swallowed by Japan’s sprawling metropolises.

But they still face prejudice, based almost entirely on where they live or their ancestors lived. Moving is little help, because employers or parents of potential spouses can hire agencies to check for buraku ancestry through Japan’s elaborate family records, which can span back over a hundred years.

An employee at a large, well-known Japanese company, who works in personnel and has direct knowledge of its hiring practices, said the company actively screens out burakumin job seekers.”

It seems a bit strange to target Google for publishing old maps, when it’s the irrational prejudice which is the problem…….

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