Cartography: The Ideal and Its HistoryOver the past four decades, the volumes published in the landmark History of Cartography series have both chronicled and encouraged scholarship about maps and mapping practices across time and space. As the current director of the project that has produced these volumes, Matthew H. Edney has a unique vantage point for understanding what “cartography” has come to mean and include. In this book Edney disavows the term cartography, rejecting the notion that maps represent an undifferentiated category of objects for study. Rather than treating maps as a single, unified group, he argues, scholars need to take a processual approach that examines specific types of maps—sea charts versus thematic maps, for example—in the context of the unique circumstances of their production, circulation, and consumption. To illuminate this bold argument, Edney chronicles precisely how the ideal of cartography that has developed in the West since 1800 has gone astray. By exposing the flaws in this ideal, his book challenges everyone who studies maps and mapping practices to reexamine their approach to the topic. The study of cartography will never be the same. |
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academic actual adopted analytic apparent archive argued argument Carte Center century chapter charts cognitive Collection common complex concept constructed continued conviction correspondence cosmographical Courtesy created critics critique cultural defined detailed determined direct discourses distances distinct early early modern earth Edney effect endeavor engineers entire especially example expression Figure France function further geographical maps geometry graphic grounded historians human ideal of cartography individual kinds knowledge London maine manner map scale marine meaning measurement meridian modes nature nineteenth numerical ratio observation original particular permit plane plans political practices precise preconception present printed produced projection published readers reference regional represent representation requires resolution scholars sense single social society sociocultural space spatial specific surveys territorial tion topographical triangulation understanding universal visual Western world maps
Bibliographic information
| Title | Cartography: The Ideal and Its History |
| Author | Matthew H. Edney |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | University of Chicago Press, 2019 |
| ISBN | 022660568X, 9780226605685 |
| Length | 323 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / General Science / Earth Sciences / Geography Technology & Engineering / Cartography Technology & Engineering / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |