Data Matter(s): Legitimacy, Coding, and Qualifications-of-Life

• DOI: 10.1068/d7910
• Publication Date: 2011-09-08T15:59:09Z
• Authors: Matthew W Wilson
• Keywords: Objectification

Data are central to geographical technologies and provide the pathways in which geographic investigations forwarded. The mattering of data is therefore important those engaging participatory use these technologies. This paper understands ‘mattering’ both material sense, that products resulting from specific practices, affective imaginative, generative, evocative. I examine senses mattering, presence significance, a discussion community survey project held Seattle, USA. During this four-year project, residents ten neighborhoods were asked collect about their streets using handheld computers. Residents tracked ‘assets’ ‘deficits’ by locating objects such as damaged sidewalks graffiti on telephone booths. These records then uploaded server administered local nonprofit organization. worked with help link changing agencies municipal government. Here, argue legitimacy practices constructed through processes standardization objectification transduct urban space. ask, mapping target governing products, what implications for kinds knowledge produced its legitimacy? In other words, how does come matter?