The Role of Geosurveillance and Security in the Politics of Fear

Abstract

This chapter examines the role of geographic information technologies (GIT) in the production of the politics of fear. While technologies such as mapping and GIS appear to offer a fix or solution to problems of terrorism, crime, or disaster, they can contribute to the use of fear for political exploitation. What sustains this politics of fear? This chapter suggests that if GIT continue to produce knowledge of populations in terms of risk, then a politics of fear can be exploited to justify mass geosurveillance. In this light, two case studies are examined; nineteenth century mapping and contemporary crime mapping.