ABSTRACT
Social scientists and historians have long been interested in the spatial structures of changes in economic activity, population, and the labour force. Does the development of a skilled and proficient labour force in one area lead to greater economic activity? For the same reason, does the increase in jobs and other opportunities in a specific area lead to population growth? What sorts of lags exist? To what extent are population and labour force changes impervious to changes in the local economic context? Yet, these questions have not been directly addressed, at least at the national level. 2 Using a variety of newly arrayed material, this chapter sets out to do just that. The recent development of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, as well as the expansion of a variety of spatial analysis methods, makes this work possible. GIS has become a popular, widespread way to make thematic maps. Using these techniques, along with materials that are created to be comparable over time, makes it possible to visualize changes in population, employment, average wages, as well as many other variables. To do this requires creating materials that are broadly comparable across decades.
