data wars and beyond

摘要

At least since Patrick Geddes propounded the doctrine of 'Survey before plan', city planners, geographers, and, latterly, policy analysts have sought to ground their plans and policy prescriptions on facts gained from information. The effort has not always worked for the good. For example, during the second half of the 20th century, the US Federal Housing Administration (FHA) produced maps that redlined African-American neighbourhoods, preventing upgrading and access to home-ownership. Similarly, much of the Federal urban renewal programme of the 1950s was based on federally supported research, with disastrous results.