The Conversation ·Behind the news
Maps Are Powerful Political Tools Shaping a Nation’s Past, Present and Future – Counter Maps Allow Everyday People to Reclaim the Narrative
by Patty Heyda, Professor of Urban Design and Architecture, Washington University in St. Louis
Published 2026-06-01 12:23:58+00:00
If a map is a tool for building a world, who decides what stays off the page?
0:00 / 7:38 · Narrator Sulafat
Context
Maps often masquerade as objective reality, but this piece from 1 June 2026 suggests they are better understood as instruments of power. From corporate marketing to partisan redistricting, the way lines are drawn dictates who belongs and who is excluded. The focus here is on counter-mapping—a practice where residents use spatial details to reveal the invisible forces, such as economic incentives or infrastructure, that shape their daily lives. It asks what happens when the tools of world-building are placed in different hands.