Data traces, memory, erasure, and Palestine futures

Palestine is one of the most well-documented and data rich places on the planet, but much of that data is compiled with extractive modes, and for colonial purposes, and kept in archives with restrictive access. Palestine Open Maps (PalOpenMaps.org) is an experiment to make historical spatial data about Palestine open and accessible, while being conscious of the political consequences of open archives. Through Palestine Open Maps, I read the traces that are left to us by the archivists, and attempt to make an inventory that enables us to think of Palestine futures through the lens of a pluralistic society that was shattered by settler colonialism.

About the presenter:

Majd Al-Shihabi is a PhD student in the geography and planning department at the University of Toronto. He researches coproduction practices in knowledge production, examining the network of questions around community ownership. His doctoral research is about participatory modelling for municipal climate action plans, specifically thinking about housing as a climate solution.

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