Teaching Social Space Through Critical Mapping: A Case Study of a Multicultural District in South Korea

This study examines the educational effects of a critical mapping project designed to teach social space, using a multicultural district in Gimhae, South Korea, as a case study. Grounded in Lefebvre’s spatial triad—perceived, conceived, and lived space—the project guided high school students to visualize and analyze the multi-layered dynamics of the district using geospatial technologies. Adopting a mixed-methods approach with a nonequivalent control group design, the study analyzed pre- and post-test results from the Social Space Understanding Test, student artifacts, and interviews. Quantitative results indicated that the experimental group achieved a statistically significant improvement in their understanding of social space compared to the control group, particularly regarding power structures and spatial reconstruction. Qualitative analysis revealed that students shifted their perception from physical to social space, recognized hidden power relations and social exclusion, and developed spatial citizenship through civic actions, including negotiations with urban development officials. These findings suggest that critical mapping is an effective strategy for helping students deconstruct spatial inequalities and enact their agency as citizens in a changing society.