Planning, managing and empowering while pursuing change: exploring the integration of people map-making and geographic information technologies

This research work is an exploration of practices for local inhabitants’ involvement within urban/rural planning processes and environmental management.A particular focus is placed on People Mapping, a hands-on practice in which people represent their own place of living on maps or relief models according to their local knowledge, everyday experience and sense of belonging. Geographic Information Technologies are here analysed as an added value to People Mapping, to make its outcomes more communicative, authoritative and, in particular, reusable as a base to build upon by planners. In fact, mapping is conceived as a means to put into constructive dialogue government authorities, professionals, and inhabitants conceived as local experts. In this sense, the process of map/model making is here considered a transformative practice. Through revealing the contextual social production of places, its identity and its representation in locals’ perspective; as well as tailoring alternatives, and liberating imaginaries; people enhance their agency and capacity to challenge institutionalized modes and contest dominant conceptions. The interaction among different stakeholders who can voice their positions and visions; the possibility of interweaving new power relationships and the co-production of a unique knowledge embodied in a visual device made of optimized data and information, lay essential foundations for more concerted development approaches and practices and consequently more just changes in space production and resources management.