ABSTRACT
Geographical Information Systems technology treats different sets of attributes, such as land use or population, as map layers which can be examined in order to establish what, if any, relationships exist between these different layers. This chapter focuses on a crucial area of ambivalence that surrounds the implications of GIS technology for the empowerment and disempowerment of individuals and communities. The chapter argues that it is vital to “unpack” what is meant by empowerment in order to understand potentially very different social implications of GIS. It distinguishes three specific dimensions of this concept: distributive change in the form of greater access to both goods and services and increased opportunities for political participation; procedural change whereby the views of citizens or community groups are given authority and legitimacy in the decision-making process; and capacity building in which the ability of citizens or communities to take action on their own behalf is enhanced.
