Contested Places

Historians have always been studying contested places. Most studies - of empires, ancient civilizations, and cultures; of nation states, wars, and diplomatic relations - involve conflicts about territory in one way or another. However, it is only within the last 10-15 years that place has been integrated in historical studies as a theoretical and analytical concept. The essays in this book contribute to an increased theoretical and methodological consciousness of place as a concept and as an analytical tool within historical studies. The book covers historical epochs, reaching from a study of the battle of Thermopylae in ancient Greece to a study of the contemporary debate surrounding Ground Zero in New York City. The volume may be used as a textbook in university courses dealing with territorial, cultural, and national interconnectedness and globalization, in both a historical and a contemporary perspective. (Series: Studies in History and Social Sciences)