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Soil maps are an important and integral component of national geospatial data infrastructures. The creation of these maps involves a geovisualization exercise whereby soil scientists develop cognitive models that correlate observable landscape features to soil occurrence. This is traditionally an analog process, cognitively demanding, time consuming, and invariably non- collaborative. A new geovirtual soil mapping technique is proposed in this paper in the form of an innovative Experiential GIS (EGIS) environment. This immersive environment enables soil maps to be constructed through experiencing and interacting with spatial data through immersion in 3D geovirtual scenes. The system outlined integrates GIS, immersive geovisualization, and robust geodatabase capabilities. Four soil scientists with extensive soil mapping experience ranging from 5 to over 20 years are concurrently immersed in the same 3D geovirtual landscape which more closely mirrors the way in which we view the world around us. The soil scientists are immersed within the 3D scene where they are essentially freed from the laws of physics, and may roam anywhere across the landscape as if in a virtual helicopter. The landscape is draped with any combination of orthoimagery and GIS-derived data allowing soil scientists to interpret, digitally delineate, and attribute soil boundaries. Exploiting the EGIS technology while maintaining the centrality of the soil scientist in soil interpretation and soil map production, promises considerable resource efficiencies than those achieved in traditional soil survey. The paper lays out the nature of this potential paradigm shift in soil mapping. The results of using this technology to construct soil geographic knowledge are also discussed in terms of soil map detail, cost efficiencies, time effectiveness, system usability, geocollaborative soil mapping advantages, and the reduced cognitive workload on practicing soil scientists. KEYWORDS: experiential GIS, soil boundary mapping, immersive geovisualization, geocollaboration, Introduction Soil maps are an integral part of contemporary digital information infrastructures. The use and application of soil maps has expanded well beyond their traditional role in agriculture and now [...]

In this article, four geographers who are also GIS practitioners critique "Evaluating the Geographic in GIS." Sparked by the arguments in that article, they pose fundamental questions about how geography can best contribute to GIS practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The 'GIS and Society' literature has raised a number of critical issues concerning the political economy and epistemology of geographical information systems (GIS) and the politics and power relations [...]

Scale is a contested concept in human geography fostering debates and contestation that have escalated to the point where some have argued for the term to be expunged from the geographical lexicon. Yet, despite the importance of scale in the geography of religion, the scalar debates in human geography have only rarely penetrated the conceptual base of the sub-discipline. This article addresses the scale debate through a case study of adherents in three churches in West Virginia, USA. The study explores these highly theoretical scalar issues through an empirical analysis of adherents, congregations and denominational leaders. A critical realist framework of emergence is used to demonstrate the value of a stratified, non-reductionist approach to the geography of religion. An emergent geography of religion is considered alongside other forms of religious social analysis such as poststructural 'crossings and dwellings' and actor network theory, and the role of critical realism in the broader scale debates in geography is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]