Radical Geography and Advocacy Mapping: The Case of the Detroit Geographical Expedition and Institute (1968–1972)

Abstract

In 1968, a group of geographers led by William Bunge founded the Detroit Geographical Expedition and Institute (DGEI), a methodology based on teaching neighborhood residents the skills of a folk geographer to help them improve their built environments. This article focuses on the necessity of revisiting the geographical expedition format today and its influence on participatory urban planning practices and advocacy mapping. After looking at DGEI’s activities in the Detroit neighborhood of Fitzgerald, I then focus on two specific elements in direct relation to the field of urban planning: that of communal participation and that of the map-making process itself.