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Spatial Scientists and Representational Democracy: The Role of Information-Processing Technology in the Design of Parliamentary and other Constituencies

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  • R J Johnston

    (Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, England)

  • S Openshaw

    (Department of Geography, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, England)

  • D W Rhind

    (Department of Geography, Birkbeck College, London WC1E 7HX, England)

  • D J Rossiter

    (Academic Computing Service, Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, Buckinghamshire, England)

Abstract

A recent court case has raised a number of issues relating to the nature of representative democracy in Britain. In particular, the importance of equality of electorates among constituencies relative to other criteria employed in the redistricting procedure has been raised. The court findings emphasised the subjectivity inherent at all stages of the redistricting process at present. We describe procedures, combining data analysis and mapping, whereby such subjectivity can be restricted to the later stages, so allowing the final decisions to be made in a fully informed context. Such procedures raise issues relating to public contributions to the various stages of the redistricting process, and a speculative final section to the paper extends the ideas that we outline.

Suggested Citation

  • R J Johnston & S Openshaw & D W Rhind & D J Rossiter, 1984. "Spatial Scientists and Representational Democracy: The Role of Information-Processing Technology in the Design of Parliamentary and other Constituencies," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 2(1), pages 57-66, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:2:y:1984:i:1:p:57-66
    DOI: 10.1068/c020057
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. D J Rossiter & R J Johnston, 1981. "Program GROUP: The Identification of All Possible Solutions to a Constituency-Delimitation Problem," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 13(2), pages 231-238, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. R J Johnston & D J Rossiter & C J Pattie, 1996. "A Change in the Rules and a Change in the Outcomes? An Evaluation of the Work of the Boundary Commission for England in its Third and Fourth Periodic Reviews," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 14(3), pages 325-350, September.

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