Deconstructing a Map by J.J Harley

The article about deconstructing a map suggests that if mapping is to be continued, the new ideas are to be introduced, such as the advancement of technology in the process of drawing a map. He goes further to say that the cartography of maps seem to be science-based only, and that the aspect of art in mapping has been shifted. The focus of the article are based on both Foucault and Derrida's interpretation. Foucault on one hand believes that there should be a discourse when rules are to be in place for cartography. This is a problematic because there are different ideas about visual representation in different societies. In order to create a new idea in the area of deconstructing, the existing ideas need to be re-evaluated in order to come up with a new, and generally acceptable idea in the various fields and societies.

This enables people to view maps in different ways. For a lay man who is not exposed to mapping, it all seems like dots which cannot be detected except by Geographers. However, when historians, humanists, scientists, agree on abasic system of representation, especially with the use of GIS, mapping would be easier to decode.