One of the interesting and most challenging aspects of cartography is that of mapping ideas and their ebb and flow in populations.  Think of trying to dynamically map memes and at what scale.  How, for example, does the concepts of neo-conservatism or approval of national health care move through a society and what does that movement look like on a map?

Recently, following race riots down under, the Sydney Morning Herald took a crack at trying to map "tolerance."  While the results are not perfect, it's a good go at a difficult problem.  Here's how the CCA blog reported it.

"Mapping Tolerance in Sydney
Published Sunday, December 25, 2005 by CCAer

The Sydney Morning Herald has a story on a map produced after the Cronulla race riots earlier this month. The map is based on a survey of 1,800 respondents and was conducted by Associate Professor Jim Forrest, of Macquarie University, Kevin Dunn, of the University of NSW and others.

From the article: “Less tolerant areas include outer locations such as Gosford and Campbelltown, but also culturally mixed areas such as Bankstown and Ryde. Bankstown has a substantial Muslim population, while Ryde has many Chinese and Koreans. Culturally diverse areas such as Parramatta, Marrickville and Penrith, and the suburbs Hurstville, Randwick and Botany, are tolerant.”

The map itself is fairly generalized and could use a better colour scheme. Based on 1,800 respondents across the area, that means that less than 100 residents would determine how a neighbourhood is classed. Still, in light of recent events in Australia, an interesting map."