Students in Purdue University's Critical GIS course will "engage theoretical texts on mapping and social justice to identify how [geographic information systems] and maps can expose and resist oppression and inequality."
"It's basically applying critical race theory to mapmaking," says Matt Lamb of The College Fix. "The course description says that students will – quote – 'understand place and space through critical theories of race, gender, sexuality, indigeneity, class ability, colonialism, and the State.'"
Considering the efforts of former university President Mitch Daniels, Lamb is surprised that Purdue is offering this course.
"He really remade the university – focused on free speech, bringing the cost of tuition down, and in general promoting open debate," Lamb notes. "But this shows that even public universities in red states are not immune to DEI and critical race theory."
As a citizen of Indiana, he also recognizes that his tax dollars help fund Purdue. But his concerns about this course have been ignored.
"It's quite disappointing that the professor and the media relation reps that I reached out to would not return emails or calls," Lamb tells AFN. "Maybe they were busy; maybe it got caught in a junk folder. But in general, I think public servants should be responsive to their citizens when they ask questions."
According to her faculty bio, Professor Melissa Chomintra, who will be teaching the course, is interested in researching "feminist geography," "feminist information literacy," and "critical race theory."
