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Geography and Empire
Geography and Empire re-examines the role of geography in imperialism and reinterprets the geography of empire. It brings together new work by eighteen geographers from ten countries.
The book is divided into five parts. Part I considers the early engagement of geographers with the imperial adventures of England and France. Part II focuses on the links between nineteenth-century European imperial expansion and the establishment of the first geographical institutions. Part III examines the rhetoric of geographical description and theory - the climatic determinism that reduced the population of half the world to idle degenerates, and the geopolitics that elevated a small part of the rest to be their rulers. Part IV is concerned with the active role of geographers in imperial administration and planning, and with the beginnings of a critical perspective on imperial ambition. Part V describes the experience of decolonization and of post-colonialism - the ambiguous role of the USA in the former, the difficulties of finding a true voice for the latter.
Geography and Empire provides new insights and vivid perspectives not only on the development of the profession and discipline of geography, but on the interactions between individuals, ideas, events and movements - and, most notably, on what happens when one culture invades and attempts to dominate another. It concludes with notes for further reading, a comprehensive bibliography and a full index.
The book is divided into five parts. Part I considers the early engagement of geographers with the imperial adventures of England and France. Part II focuses on the links between nineteenth-century European imperial expansion and the establishment of the first geographical institutions. Part III examines the rhetoric of geographical description and theory - the climatic determinism that reduced the population of half the world to idle degenerates, and the geopolitics that elevated a small part of the rest to be their rulers. Part IV is concerned with the active role of geographers in imperial administration and planning, and with the beginnings of a critical perspective on imperial ambition. Part V describes the experience of decolonization and of post-colonialism - the ambiguous role of the USA in the former, the difficulties of finding a true voice for the latter.
Geography and Empire provides new insights and vivid perspectives not only on the development of the profession and discipline of geography, but on the interactions between individuals, ideas, events and movements - and, most notably, on what happens when one culture invades and attempts to dominate another. It concludes with notes for further reading, a comprehensive bibliography and a full index.
404 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Anne M.C. Godlewska
2 booksI have a B.A in history from McGill University and a PhD in Geography from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. I did a post-doc at Madison, Wisconsin with the History of Cartography Project (Harley and Woodward).
I am one of those people who never seem to be able to decide on what she will be when she grows up. The university is a wonderful place for people like me. It is full of opportunities to explore and grow. In the first phase of my academic career I was interested in the history of mapping, and as imperialism and colonialism have always fascinated me and because I wanted to develop my French language skills, I looked at the French mapping of Egypt in the late 18th century. But while maps are intriguing, I found I was relatively more interested in the ideas behind maps than in the objects themselves. So, I became an historian of science working on the nature of the geography in France that found expression in Egypt, in Algeria and elsewhere in the world. France is nice but I live in Canada, as do my students. Also, the history of science while fascinating, is a history that deemphasizes the concerns and preoccupations of a large proportion of the world’s population. Ultimately I found that dissatisfying. So I repatriated my work and decided to focus on a very important part of Canadian reality, the native populations of Canada and the United States and their ongoing struggle with colonial characterizations and interests.
I don’t plan on growing up any time soon but this topic is so interesting I will probably stay with it for some time.
I am one of those people who never seem to be able to decide on what she will be when she grows up. The university is a wonderful place for people like me. It is full of opportunities to explore and grow. In the first phase of my academic career I was interested in the history of mapping, and as imperialism and colonialism have always fascinated me and because I wanted to develop my French language skills, I looked at the French mapping of Egypt in the late 18th century. But while maps are intriguing, I found I was relatively more interested in the ideas behind maps than in the objects themselves. So, I became an historian of science working on the nature of the geography in France that found expression in Egypt, in Algeria and elsewhere in the world. France is nice but I live in Canada, as do my students. Also, the history of science while fascinating, is a history that deemphasizes the concerns and preoccupations of a large proportion of the world’s population. Ultimately I found that dissatisfying. So I repatriated my work and decided to focus on a very important part of Canadian reality, the native populations of Canada and the United States and their ongoing struggle with colonial characterizations and interests.
I don’t plan on growing up any time soon but this topic is so interesting I will probably stay with it for some time.
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