From Library Journal
Harvey (anthropology, CUNY Graduate Sch.) is one of the most influential geographers of the later 20th century, especially as concerns the relationship among politics, capitalism, and the social aspects of geographical theory. His previous and still cogent works include Explanation in Geography, Social Justice and the City, and Spaces of Hope. His new book provides the daring reader with an introduction to fields of inquiry collectively termed the new geography or critical geography. Harvey delves deeply into the collective psyche of geography as a discipline and attacks long-held assumptions of scientific neutrality within it, particularly in the chapter titled "Population, Resources, and the Ideology of Science." He also gives a chronology of his own geographic thought and his philosophical underpinnings such as Hegel, Marx, Kant, Heidegger, and the like and a unique perspective on capitalism as a driving force in shaping the physical arrangement of societies. Most geographers may take much of this book as an indictment against their chosen field, but Harvey certainly gives us much to consider. Appropriate for larger public libraries and academic libraries. John E. Dockall, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
David Harvey is the most influential geographer of our era, possessing a reputation that extends across the social sciences and humanities. Spaces of Capital, a collection of seminal articles and new essays spanning three decades, demonstrates why his work has had-and continues to have-such a major impact.
The book gathers together some of Harvey's best work on two of his central concerns: the relationship between geographical thought and political power as well as the capitalist production of space. In addition, he chips away at geography's pretenses of "scientific" neutrality and grounds spatial theory in social justice. Harvey also reflects on the work and careers of little-noticed or misrepresented figures in geography's intellectual history-Kant, Von Thunen, Humboldt, Lattimore, Hegel, Heidegger, Darwin, Malthus, Foucault and many others. Via this exploration of geography's intellectual lineage, he underscores its significance for all varieties of social thought. And, in two new chapters, Harvey considers contemporary cartographic identities and social movements.
Harvey's insights into current social, environmental, and political trends, in combination with his historical observations, demonstrate the centrality of geography to comprehending the world as it is-and as it might be.
The book gathers together some of Harvey's best work on two of his central concerns: the relationship between geographical thought and political power as well as the capitalist production of space. In addition, he chips away at geography's pretenses of "scientific" neutrality and grounds spatial theory in social justice. Harvey also reflects on the work and careers of little-noticed or misrepresented figures in geography's intellectual history-Kant, Von Thunen, Humboldt, Lattimore, Hegel, Heidegger, Darwin, Malthus, Foucault and many others. Via this exploration of geography's intellectual lineage, he underscores its significance for all varieties of social thought. And, in two new chapters, Harvey considers contemporary cartographic identities and social movements.
Harvey's insights into current social, environmental, and political trends, in combination with his historical observations, demonstrate the centrality of geography to comprehending the world as it is-and as it might be.
