This image is a screenshot of the interactive map created by Climate Control, which shows the flood risk in the coastline of Chennai. The way the ethnographer presents this interactive map provides us information about the map producer, the form of data, and areas under the flood risk.
This visualization does not directly talk about "toxics" but about "risk", namely flood risk due to climate change. We also learn that environmental activists use similar images to mobilize residents around the knowledge about the risk they face.
To draw attention to the "interactive" process, "mapping" can be used. Nevertheless, it depends on the ethnographer would like to approach to the map, as a process or as a thing.
The very basic message/argument of this visualization is that maps render real climate change as an "abstract" process. The author also notes that she is developing this visualization through looking into the methods/methodologies of interactive map making so as to learn more about the forms of risk that are rendered visible while other forms are rendered invisible.
The author notes that " I want to look more closely at these images as well as the methodologies that go into their construction to ask what forms of risk are made visible and what are made invisible." That would be really great, for example, if she can give a couple of more information about the methodology used for this interactive map, namely, digital elevation modelling. How does she interpret this methodology as an ethnographer?
