An Analytical Framework to Examine Empowerment Associated with Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS)

TLDR

PGIS is claimed to empower disadvantaged groups, yet the debate on GIS‑empowerment remains vague, lacking a clear, structured way to observe and record empowerment. The study proposes two working definitions of empowerment—distinguishing empowerment from empowerment capacity—and introduces a framework to structure empowerment analysis. The framework integrates four empowerment catalysts—information, process, skills, and tools—with individual and community social scales.

Abstract

Claims have been made that the application of participatory geographic information systems (PGIS) can empower disadvantaged groups. This article notes that the ongoing debate in this “GIS-empowerment-marginalization nexus” remains vague about a characterization of empowerment and that it fails to address how empowerment can be observed and recorded in a logical and structured manner. The article offers, and justifies, two working definitions of empowerment, differentiating between empowerment and empowerment capacity. It proposes a framework to structure an analysis of empowerment. The framework combines four catalysts of empowerment (information, process, skills, and tools) with two social scales (individuals and community).