Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Introduction To Public Participation Geographic: Special Issue, Michelle Thompson, Kelly Owens

Michelle M. Thompson

With the progression of PPGIS, variations in the technology’s adaptability and application have brought forth critiques related to access, technology, and time. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) permeates a global market and technology appears to drive social, economic and civic progress with varying outcomes. Residents, advocates, and community organizations are utilizing democratized data in ways that early PPGIS investors could not have imagined. However, while many applaud the ability to create a trinity with data serving as a neutral partner, some wonder if any advancement has been made. A major critique of PPGIS is the inability to have a sustained, longitudinal …