Laura Kurgan's Lecture

For those of you who may have missed Laura's lecture, you missed out on a exciting turn where art and technology combined together to create better understanding of social issues. Kurgan discussed her experiences purchasing overhead satellite images. While using these aerial shots, she is able, with the help of other researchers, to map out amazing issues. For instance, using data from prison admission and aerial shots of Manhattan, Kurgan is able to demonstrate the areas of the city where crime is centrally located. Using this method, it is easy to demonstrate and explain different social phenomenons. She was also able to demonstrate similar trends after hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Using aerial photographs and crime statistics, it was easy to spot trends where violence was most predominate. It is not surprising to find that most of the crime occurring in New Orleans was occurring on the outskirts of populated areas. Not only was it useful to demonstrate crime trends, it was also useful in pin pointing population return, the areas that are repopulated verses areas that are still largely unpopulated. Although she used photographs and art to layer the dimensions of these complex issues, it is particularly innovative when thinking about other areas of social construction.