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