Geography and Empire (Institute of British Geographers Special Publications) - Softcover

" Geography and Empire is a stimulating collection of writings demonstrating the contribution that a theoretically-informed geographical perspective can make to the study of one of the great issues of our time, colonialism and its aftermath. One of the book's many virtues is that it provides a critical framework for the comparative study of different European imperialisms; that is, it convincingly demonstrates that geography matters." Professor James S Duncan, Syracuse University ..". is both positive and refreshing." The Professional Geographer (AAG) "This stunning collection should be on all reading lists for courses in the history or philosophy of geography." Society and Space ..". a valuable contribution to the literature of geography and to the study of modern imperialism. It includes important papers by senior academics of international repute as well as intersting contributions by less well-known scholars. Undoubtedly, it will stimulate further inquiry, thus meeting the editor's stated aims." Brian J. Hudson, Queensland University of Technology .

This text re-examines the role of geography in imperialism and reinterprets the geography of empire. It brings together new work by 17 geographers from eight countries. This book argues that the histories of geography and empire are inextricably entwined. Geographers were often the avant garde of an imperial presence, frequently of colonization. Their theory helped provide the justification of empire both for the conquerors and on behalf of the conquered; their diligence in mapping and exploration pinpointed the potential of resources and the means of their exploitation and trade. For better or worse, geographers - along with anthropologists - described and interpreted the cultures and peoples under imperial sway and, through publications ranging from reports and travelogues to tales and textbooks, informed the perceptions of the world for centuries. The book is divided into five parts. Part 1 considers the early engagement of geographers with the imperial adventures of England and France. Part 2 focuses on the links between 19th-century European imperial expansion and the establishment of the first geographical institutions. Part 3 examines the rhetoric of geographical description and theory. Part 4 explores the role of geographers in imperial administration and planning, with the beginnings of a critical perspective on imperial ambition. Part 5 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" aims to provide new insights and 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.