The Professional Geographer (2007) 59(1): 22-34.
Affecting Geospatial Technologies:
Toward a Feminist Politics of Emotion
Mei-Po Kwan
Abstract: Building upon earlier contributions to feminist understanding of geospatial technologies (GT),
I seek to further develop feminist perspectives on GT along new directions in this article. I argue that an
attention to the importance of affect (feelings and emotions) and the performative nature of GT practices
offers a distinctive critical edge to feminist work on GT. I emphasize the need for GT practitioners to contest
the dominant meanings and uses of GT, and to participate in struggles against the oppressive or violent effects
of these technologies. I argue that only when emotions, feelings, values and ethics become an integral part of
our geospatial practices can we hope that the use of GT will lead to a less violent and more just world.
Key Words: affect, emotion, feminist politics, geospatial technologies, GIS.
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