Public Participant Geographical Information Systems: Participation on the road to social sustainability

Abstract: In this bachelor thesis the discourse of PPGIS will be mapped out both theoretically and empirically. I argue that participation is fundamental for social sustainability and that the emerging Neogeography field motivates citizen participation even more. The thesis explores the traditional disempowering views of GIS as it transforms into a tool for equality and empowerment of marginalized groups. Four different cases of PPGIS is examined and analysed through the theoretical framework ending in a review of PPGIS experiences so far, arguing that for a PPGIS project to be considered part of the social sustainability goals the communication within projects has to work two-ways. Discussion is a fundamental part of PPGIS but is sometimes forgotten when projects turn into pure intelligence gathering. I also argue that projects should not be viewed as single entities but parts of the bigger picture, not seen as isolated events but as on-going processes.