Browsing by Author "Falahatkar, Hawjin"
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- ItemOpen AccessA Feminist GIS Approach for Identifying, Mapping and Evaluating Gender Inclusive Features in Urban Public Spaces(2024-04-30) Falahatkar, Hawjin; Fast, Victoria; Jacobson, Daniel; Neuhaus, FabianThis thesis thoroughly explores gender and movement disability inclusion in urban public open spaces, scrutinizing both physical design and digital mapping aspects. It illuminates the unique spatial behavior patterns observed among women and individuals with reduced mobility in urban settings, emphasizing the disparity between these behaviors and their representation in physical design and mapping systems. The study identifies the central concern of current urban designs’ inadequacy in providing safe and equitable access for these groups. Moreover, it recognizes the gender digital divide in mapping systems, where women are frequently underrepresented in spatial datasets, complicating accurate mapping of gender-place relations. To tackle these challenges, the research develops a feminist GIS framework focused on understanding, mapping, and evaluating urban public spaces from a gender and disability perspective. This framework includes defining a data topology containing various gender-inclusive features, collecting multiple data sets to represent these features, establishing a data source hierarchy, and utilizing Esri technology for data collection, mapping, analysis, and visualization. The study produces an interactive map and dashboard, the Inclusive UCalgary Campus Dashboard, to visualize gender-inclusive features and attributes publicly for UCalgary users. Furthermore, it establishes multiple assessment criteria to evaluate the condition of gender-inclusive features within UCalgary’s campus, gauging how UCalgary accommodates the spatial needs of women and those with reduced mobilities. The findings reveal diverse and often fine-scale map features representing women and individuals with reduced mobilities are absent from available datasets resulting in inadequate representation of this group on maps. Through a data source hierarchy, GIS functionalities, and online interactive mapping methods, it is possible to collect, store, manipulate, and map features that are crucial for this group’s space navigation and utilization. Furthermore, the assessment of UCalgary’s campus open space reveals significant challenges in gender and disability inclusion, particularly regarding the uneven distribution of gender-inclusive features and functions across campus areas which adversely affects safety, accessibility, and spatial quality, especially within campus peripheral zones. In conclusion, the study advocates for a purpose-led GIS by redefining the mapping process that prioritizes equity over efficiency. It highlights the feminist GIS framework’s potential to enhance accessibility, safety, and diversity in urban environments for less-represented groups, thereby promoting a sense of belonging and quality of life for all community members.
- ItemOpen AccessMap of 19th Century Writers(arcgis.com, 2024) Jacobson, Dan; Falahatkar, Hawjin; Brosz, John; Bourrier, Karen
- ItemOpen AccessUCalgary Inclusive Map: Web Map, Data Typology, and Data Dictionary(arcgic.com, 2024-05) Falahatkar, Hawjin; Fast, VictoriaMaps have historically served as powerful tools for understanding spatial relationships and aided in communication, navigation, and informed decision-making. However, conventional mapping processes often overlook the diverse needs of marginalized groups, resulting in a digital divide and less inclusive maps that perpetuate inequalities in the real world. By redefining mapping processes to ensure that maps reflect the spatial behavioral distinctions and needs of all individuals, we can empower less-represented groups to make informed spatial decisions. Focusing on needs of women and those with reduced mobility, maps of urban public spaces play a pivotal role in conveying essential information about spatial features relevant to these groups' navigation and use of space. "UCalgary Inclusive Map" is designed based on an innovative Feminist GIS framework that bridges this socio-spatial gap by combining multidisciplinary ideas from feminism, urban design, accessibility research, and GIS functionalities. This map includes features and attributes representing micro-amenities within the University of Calgary's campus open spaces that influence campus accessibility, safety, diversity, and spatial awareness for everyone.