A surreal landscape emerging from a map, representing alternative perspectives.

Uncharted Territories: How Alternative Maps Redefine Our World

Theo Raines in Culture & Society June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Beyond Boundaries: Exploring the Power of Rethinking Maps in the Modern Age"

Maps: we use them every day to navigate from point A to point B, explore new cities, and understand the layout of the world. But what happens when maps become more than just navigational tools? What if they transform into powerful instruments of critique, preservation, and reimagination? This is the world of alternative cartography, where artists, activists, and community members are redefining how we see and interact with our environment.

Conventional maps often present a singular, dominant viewpoint, reinforcing existing power structures and overlooking marginalized perspectives. Think of the common political map, where borders are sharply defined, and certain nations take center stage while others fade into the background. Alternative cartography seeks to disrupt this status quo. By challenging traditional mapmaking conventions, it opens up space for new narratives, untold stories, and a more inclusive understanding of place.

One compelling example of this transformative approach comes from Northern Ireland, where a touring exhibition called "Mapping Alternative Ulster" sought to counter the limitations of conventional representations. This exhibition, curated by Garrett Carr, showcased a diverse collection of maps that challenged sectarian politics, critiqued environmental issues, and highlighted valuable aspects of local culture often overlooked by mainstream cartography. Keep reading to discover how this innovative project and others are changing how we think about maps and their power to shape our world.

Challenging Conventional Cartography

A surreal landscape emerging from a map, representing alternative perspectives.

Garrett Carr, in his curatorial essay "Rethinking the Land: An Exhibition of Ulster Maps," discusses the limitations of traditional maps. He describes a series of illustrated columns titled 'A Picture of Ireland,' published in The Irish Times, which used color-coding to represent the religious divide in Northern Ireland, painting a picture of a place split between Catholics (green) and Protestants (orange). Carr argues that this representation, while drawing from census data, reinforces outdated stereotypes and fails to acknowledge the nuances of identity and faith in the region.

Carr's critique highlights a crucial aspect of alternative cartography: the need to move beyond simplistic, binary representations and embrace complexity. Alternative maps can challenge the status quo, raise awareness about pressing issues, and foster a deeper connection to the places we inhabit. By giving voice to marginalized communities and highlighting alternative perspectives, they can help us see the world in a new light.

Here are some of the key ways that alternative cartography challenges conventional mapmaking:

Shifting the Focus: Moving away from political boundaries and highlighting social, cultural, and environmental aspects.
Empowering Local Voices: Giving marginalized communities the opportunity to represent their own experiences and perspectives.
Promoting Critical Thinking: Encouraging viewers to question the assumptions and biases embedded in traditional maps.
Inspiring Action: Motivating viewers to engage with their environment and work towards positive change.

Carr curated "Mapping Alternative Ulster" to showcase different ways of charting land and people in Northern Ireland. The exhibition featured maps made by independent cartographers using various materials and covering a wide range of subjects. Some maps focused on urban issues, while others highlighted rural traditions and landscapes. All the maps in the exhibition had a point of view, advocating for change, preservation, or reassessment.

The Enduring Impact of Alternative Maps

Alternative cartography is more than just a trend; it's a powerful tool for social change and cultural preservation. As Garrett Carr's exhibition demonstrates, maps can be used to challenge dominant narratives, empower local voices, and inspire action. By embracing the creativity and critical thinking of alternative cartographers, we can gain a deeper understanding of our world and work towards a more just and sustainable future. So, the next time you look at a map, ask yourself: Whose story is being told? And what other stories might be waiting to be discovered?

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1080/00087041.2017.1285977, Alternate LINK

Title: Rethinking The Land: An Exhibition Of Ulster Maps

Subject: Earth-Surface Processes

Journal: The Cartographic Journal

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Authors: Garrett Carr

Published: 2017-02-14

Everything You Need To Know

How does alternative cartography differ from conventional maps in its approach and focus?

Alternative cartography challenges conventional maps by shifting the focus from political boundaries to social, cultural, and environmental aspects. It empowers local voices, promoting critical thinking by encouraging viewers to question assumptions and biases embedded in traditional maps. By inspiring action, alternative cartography motivates viewers to engage with their environment and work towards positive change, offering a more inclusive understanding of place.

What was the purpose of Garrett Carr's "Mapping Alternative Ulster" exhibition, and what types of maps were featured?

Garrett Carr curated "Mapping Alternative Ulster" to showcase diverse methods of charting land and people in Northern Ireland. The exhibition featured maps by independent cartographers using various materials, covering urban issues, rural traditions, and landscapes, each advocating for change, preservation, or reassessment. This challenged conventional representations and highlighted valuable aspects of local culture often overlooked by mainstream cartography.

How does Garrett Carr critique traditional maps in his essay "Rethinking the Land: An Exhibition of Ulster Maps," and what example does he use to illustrate his point?

In his curatorial essay "Rethinking the Land: An Exhibition of Ulster Maps," Garrett Carr critiques traditional maps, using the example of 'A Picture of Ireland' in The Irish Times. He argues that color-coding Northern Ireland by religious denomination reinforces outdated stereotypes and fails to acknowledge the nuances of identity and faith. Alternative cartography moves beyond simplistic representations to embrace complexity and challenge the status quo.

What impact does alternative cartography have on social change and cultural preservation, and how does the "Mapping Alternative Ulster" exhibition exemplify this?

Alternative maps challenge traditional cartography by challenging dominant narratives, empowering local voices, and inspiring action. This approach is more than just a trend; it's a potent tool for social change and cultural preservation. The exhibition "Mapping Alternative Ulster" demonstrated how maps could critique environmental issues, highlight valuable aspects of local culture, and challenge sectarian politics.

In what ways do conventional maps reinforce power structures, and how does alternative cartography challenge these dominant viewpoints?

Alternative cartography critiques conventional maps that present a singular, dominant viewpoint, often reinforcing existing power structures and overlooking marginalized perspectives. Political maps, for example, sharply define borders and highlight certain nations while marginalizing others. By challenging these traditional conventions, alternative cartography creates space for new narratives, untold stories, and a more inclusive understanding of place.