The Structure of Political Geography - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1412818540 ISBN 13: 9781412818544

Publisher: Routledge, 2011

Synopsis

This volume seeks to provide a sense of purpose and order to the study of political geography. The editors devise a conceptual structure for the field, bringing political geography into line with trends in contemporary geography as a whole and with other social sciences. Not only do the selections contain a wide variety of contributions from other fields, but the introductory essays and annotated bibliographies suggest related research. The structure of the book enjoys close parallels in other social sciences.

The organization of the book reflects the editors’ definitions and structuring of political geography. Part I, "Heritage," includes works that have contributed to the theoretical development of the field. Part II, "Structure," comprises the concern to which political geographers have devoted most of their past attention. Parts III and IV, "Process" and "Behavior," form the subject where much future theoretical and practical effort is needed. Part V, "Environment," provides the context in which spatial structure, process, and behavior occur.

The Structure of Political Geography includes selections from sociobiology, history, international relations, political economy, political science, social psychology, and sociology. The classics in the field are an essential inclusion since the book would be incomplete without them. The selections in the volume, originally published in 1971, remain useful and pertinent to political geographers of diverse persuasion and to social scientists interested in geographical approaches. The fact that there is a clear focus and conceptual interdependence in political geography is the volume’s greatest contribution.

About this title

About the Author:

Roger E. Kasperson is research professor and distinguished scientist at the George Perkins Marsh Institute, Clark University. His research focuses upon efforts to develop a stronger understanding of how the vulnerability of people, places, and ecosystems can be better understood. He is the author or editor of numerous books including Water Re-Use and the Cities and The Social Amplification of Risk.

Review:

“The Structure of Political Geography is a sound volume of readings and a welcome addition because it demonstrates the usefulness of the behavioralist orientation in geography.”

—Gordon J. Fielding, Economic Geography

“The plea made in this book for a fresh approach to international politics and the guidelines offered on how this should be done deserve serious attention from political scientists and are of more than marginal interest to political geographers.”

—W. Gordon East, The Geographical Journal

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1412818540
• ISBN 13: 9781412818544
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 542
• Editor: Minghi Julian