Where Do Critical Thinking and Spatial Citizenship meet? On the Importance of Avoiding Maps without Meaning. GI_Forum|GI_Forum 2013 – Creating the GISociety|

Although Spatial Citizenship is rooted deeply in critical theories and is based on ideas of reflexivity, the link to Critical Thinking has not been systematically developed yet. Nevertheless, intersections of both concepts are considered likely due to the closeness of the semantic fields around them. Identifying such overlaps is expected to significantly contribute to advancing the theoretical depth of Spatial Citizenship. Additionally, Critical Thinking – an influential and field-tested approach – may provide valuable insights, particularly with regard to the practical application of the notion of Spatial Citizenship in educational environments. This paper draws on previous research conducted at the CIDTFF (University of Aveiro) and within the framework of the EU-funded SPACIT project. The paper seeks (i) to identify theoretical/conceptual overlaps between both concepts and (ii) to distil key elements of Critical Thinking theory that can usefully complement the concept of Spatial Citizenship and associated educational approaches. The analysis rests on a content analysis of selected journal papers. The resulting intersection framework confirms the closeness of the two concepts, yet also highlights the divergent theoretical and normative foundations