Orientation in Dynamic Times

With this issue, we open the 76th volume of our journal.This is a remarkable milestone that reflects continuity, scholarly depth, and the ongoing advancement of cartography.For more than seven decades, this journal has accompanied the scientific and technological development of our field and has provided a platform for innovation, critical reflection, and interdisciplinary exchange.Cartography is currently undergoing a phase of dynamic transformation.Digital infrastructures, the growing diversity of geospatial data, and AI-assisted visualization are examples of developments that are not only reshaping our professional tools but also our self-understanding as cartographers.Maps are produced faster, enriched with more data, and are algorithmically more complex than ever before.At the same time, the core questions of our discipline remain: How can spatial relationships be communicated in a comprehensible way?How do we deal with uncertainty?How can we ensure quality, transparency, and traceability in cartographic processes?The new volume addresses these tensions.The contributions in this issue exemplify the diversity of contemporary cartography-ranging from methodological advancements and innovative visualization approaches to practice-oriented urban case studies.They demonstrate that cartography today functions simultaneously as an analytical instrument, a medium of communication, and a foundation for decision-making.Particularly encouraging is the thematic breadth and international scope of the five research articles presented in this issue.They underscore that cartographic questions are relevant across a wide range of societal contexts-whether in environmental and urban planning, mobility design, or the further development of visual representation techniques.We regard this diversity as a strength: it fosters shifts in perspective and enriches our scholarly discourse.