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Mapping literature : spatial data modelling and automated cartographic visualisation of fictional spaces / Anne-Kathrin Weber (2014)  

Public Titre : Mapping literature : spatial data modelling and automated cartographic visualisation of fictional spaces Type de document : Thèse/HDR Auteurs : Anne-Kathrin Weber, Auteur Editeur : Zurich : Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule ETH - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Zurich EPFZ Année de publication : 2014 Collection : Dissertationen ETH num. 21530 Note générale : bibliographie A dissertation submitted to ETH Zurich for the degree of doctor of sciences Langues : Anglais (eng) Descripteur : [Termes IGN] analyse spatiale [Termes IGN] géovisualisation [Termes IGN] incertitude géométrique [Termes IGN] littérature [Termes IGN] modèle conceptuel de données localisées [Termes IGN] représentation cartographique [Vedettes matières IGN] Géovisualisation Index. décimale : 37.60 Géovisualisation Résumé : (auteur) Mapping literature addresses the issue of spatial analysis and visualisation of fictional, narrated spaces. Compared to the geography and phenomena of the ‘real world’, the ‘fictional world’ is distinguished by a fragmentary existence with vague boundaries and spaces that are often hard to localise, if at all. Furthermore, not only such spaces highly vary in size and detail, but they can also be transformed and remodelled by the author and can be linked to any time period. So far, literary scholars have tried to create maps with their own limited resources to analyse and explain where fiction is set and why there. However, a concise theory and convincing instruments to acquire and visualise this specific kind of geography is still lacking. This thesis devotes to the issue of how to structure and visualise literary spaces with the help of cartographic means. This work originates from the interdisciplinary project “A literary Atlas of Europe” initiated by and in close cooperation with experts of the literary studies researching the geography of literature. The main objectives are the development of a generally applicable data model for spaces of narrative, fictional literature such as novels, novellas or legends, including a system where data can be collected and geocoded. Furthermore, this work strives for adequate cartographic visualisation of uncertain, fragmentary literary spaces, which visually meet the requirements of the aforementioned inherent rules. The resulting spatial data model distinguishes four main categories of fictional spaces. The classification is done from the view point of the book’s characters: first, places where characters are present and acting (settings); second, places characters long for, remember or dream of (projected places); third, places they move through (routes); and finally places that are only mentioned by the author, having a marginal meaning for the character (marker). Visualisation methods for all four categories in consideration of several specific properties are suggested and implemented into a specially developed web map service to allow automatic map generation. In addition to information that can be interactively requested in the map application, symbols were introduced to visually differentiate between subcategories of projected places without having to forgo current map information. Further efforts were made to enhance the automated map visualisation by applying spatial deformation to better utilise the map space. This was realised through density calculation combined with cartogram algorithms. This cumulated thesis is based on four scientific publications and framed by an introductory and a concluding section. The included articles are structured in three chapters. Chapter 3 covers the data model and acquisition, Chapter 4 addresses the data characterisation and uncertainty visualisation and finally in Chapter 5 two articles focus on extending visualisation approaches. With the data acquisition and visualisation tools developed within this dissertation project, literary scholars focussing on literary geography can now create automatically visualised literary maps of improved quality. By formalising spatial concepts of literary geography within a data model, the scholar’s requirements are transferred into digital tools. It is hoped that such tools promote the usage of literary maps by facilitating their creation in digital form. In any case, the formalisation contributes to the development of an overarching theory for an advanced cartographic approach in literary geography. This results not only in possibilities to look at literature from another point of view, but moreover it promotes to ask new questions and facilitates to find an answer for them. Finally, this cartographic tool reveals invisible cultural layers of landscapes. In addition to the visible reality, it is the invisible cultural influence that has a lasting impact to a region. Such influences are increasingly encouraged by the UNESCO and defined by the term “associative landscapes. Numéro de notice : 17205 Affiliation des auteurs : non IGN Thématique : GEOMATIQUE Nature : Thèse étrangère Note de thèse : doctoral dissertation : Sciences : ETH Zurich : 2014 En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-010106067 Format de la ressource électronique : URL Permalink : https://documentation.ensg.eu/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=81186