About three years ago Klaus Dodds, Alan Ingram and Merje Kuus convinced Ashgate to establish a book series with the title Critical Geopolitics. Since then the series has seen the publication of four volumes: Europe in the World, Reconstructing Conflict, Mapping the End Times, and Spaces of Security and Insecurity. Those familiar with Ashgate’s publishing niche will not be surprised that these books are mostly in hardback and extremely expensive (over $100). The exception is Mapping the End Times edited by Jason Dittmer, University College London, and Tristan Sturm, an Agnew student at UCLA, which is available in paperback for $40.
A fifth volume is currently in production edited by Klaus Dodds, Joanne Sharp and Merje Kuus officially called The Ashgate Research Companion to Critical Geopolitics. The lineup of authors, and subject material, is impressive. I was unaware of the volume until January when Joanne asked me to write a prologue. Yesterday I finished the short piece, which I will not reproduce here for copyright reasons. Instead, I will post the table of contents of the volume, with an embed link to the video I discuss in the prologue (around minute 2 is the passage I begin with). I expect Political Geographers will be keen to get their hands on the volume. But will Ashgate make it affordable?
Table of Contents
Prologue: Arguing About Geopolitics, Gerard Toal (Gearóid Ó Tuathail)
Introduction: Geopolitics and its Discontents, Klaus Dodds, Merje Kuus, and Joanne Sharp
I: Foundations
Introduction: Geopolitical Foundations, Klaus Dodds
The Origins of Critical Geopolitics, John Agnew
Realism and Geopolitics, Simon Dalby
Texts, Discourse, Affect and Things, Martin Muller
Visual culture, Rachel Hughes
Heteronormativity, Linda Peake
Sovereignty, Fiona McConnell
Radical geopolitics, Julian Mercille
Neo-Liberalism, Simon Springer
Geopolitical Traditions, James Sidaway
II: Sites
Introduction: Geopolitical Sites, Joanne Sharp
Borders, Anssi Paasi
State, Sami Moisio
Militarisation, Matt Farish
Media, Paul Adams
Resources, Phillippe Le Billon
Environment, Shannon O’Lear
Global South, Chi-Yuan Woon
Intimacy and the Everyday, Deborah Cowen and Brett Story
Spaces of Terror, Ulrich Oslender
III. Agents
Introduction: Human Agency in Geopolitics, Merje Kuus
Non-State Actors, Alex Jeffrey
International Organizations, Veit Bachmann
Indigenous Groups, Chris Gibson
Journalists, Alasdair Pinkerton
Artists, Alan Ingram
Evangelicals, Jason Dittmer
Intellectuals of Statecraft, Mathew Coleman
Women, Jennifer Fluri
Activists, Kye Askins
