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The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the context in which mapping is practiced and thought about. I shall make several points. First, our present context is historical and arose from identifiable events that help shape the way mapping takes place today. But every context allows some possibilities and closes off others. Second, our current context is based on a Cartesian–scientific worldview which casts maps as communicators of spatial location. One consequence of this is that we do not take account of maps as helping us find our meaningful place in the world. Third, examining this context as a horizon of possibilities is itself a political project. Finally, some possible components of such a "politics of mapping" are sketched out that might let us understand our horizon of possibilities in order to expand it.

The spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in the most devastating global public health crisis in over a century. At present, over 7 million people from around the world have contracted the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), leading to more than 400,000 deaths globally. The global health crisis unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic has been compounded by political, economic, and social crises that have exacerbated existing inequalities and disproportionately affected the most vulnerable segments of society. The global pandemic has had profoundly geographical consequences, and as the current crisis continues to unfold, there is a pressing need for geographers and other scholars to critically examine its fallout. This introductory article provides an overview of the current special issue on the geographies of the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes 42 commentaries written by contributors from across the globe. Collectively, the contributions in this special issue highlight the diverse theoretical perspectives, methodological approaches, and thematic foci that geographical scholarship can offer to better understand the uneven geographies of the Coronavirus/COVID-19.