Lines in the Sand: How Maps Shape Power, Borders, and Belonging - Lab 107

Maps aren’t neutral. From redlining and colonial borders to Texas redistricting and ICE checkpoints, lines on a map are decisions—about who gets power, who gets protection, and who gets pushed out. In this episode, Zakiya and Titi talk with Dr. Joshua Inwood, a professor of geography and African American studies at Penn State, about the racial politics of cartography. They trace the history of mapmaking, explore The Green Book as a form of resistance, and unpack how today’s fights—like the border crackdown and redistricting battles in Texas—are part of a long tradition of drawing lines to control people.

Instagram post showing the true size of countries: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLsFqaPRj8a/?igsh=MWhncGs3ZnhndGE5eA==

Slavers of NY Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/slaversofny?igsh=MWI3Y2lpeHJyb2VsbA==

The Folded Map Project: https://www.foldedmapproject.com/

The Living Black Atlas: https://derekalderman.com/the-living-black-atlas/

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