GIScience I: The rise, fragmentation, and future of VGI

Abstract

Since the inception of volunteered geographic information in 2007, this area of study has seen a proliferation of terms and concepts representing diverse forms of user-generated geographic data and systems. Despite the rich development of VGI (volunteered geographic information) in geography, recent trends indicate a disjointed research field. This progress report critically examines the trajectory of VGI, mapping its journey from an emergent set of practices to a fragmented research domain. Moving forward, it is up to the research community to either reignite the interaction and integration required to build a subdiscipline of GIScience or allow this research domain to extinguish.