Synopses & Reviews
The worlds' oceans have been extremely important in the development and interaction of societies throughout history. This unique book uses the tools of political geography and international relations to examine the ways in which nations and peoples have viewed and used the oceans. Most social scientists have looked on the seas as a resource, but Steinberg sees them as a space defined by society, arguing that political and economic forces have shaped the governance and representation of the sea as much as they have the land.
Review
"This is much more than a social constructionist's book about the sea. Steinberg has produced a splendid,innovative text that will be of interest to all social scientists with an interest in the historical development of the modern world from outside narrow nationalist perspectives." Peter J. Taylor, Loughborough University
Review
"Steinberg lucidly summarizes the book's major themes: the sea is not a place, but it is a space 'where social contradictions are worked through, social change transpires, and future social relations are imagined' (p. 209). This is an apt summary of an excellent book, which makes a highly original contribution to a much-underconsidered portion of political geography in theoretically-nuanced and empirically-informative ways. It is not only the first such major contribution to the study of the political economy-and-geography of the oceans, but destined to be a classic." Political Geography"This is much more than a social constructionist's book about the sea. Steinberg has produced a splendid,innovative text that will be of interest to all social scientists with an interest in the historical development of the modern world from outside narrow nationalist perspectives." Peter J. Taylor, Loughborough University"This is much more than a social constructionist's book about the sea. Steinberg has produced a splendid,innovative text that will be of interest to all social scientists with an interest in the historical development of the modern world from outside narrow nationalist perspectives." Peter J. Taylor, Loughborough University"The subject is fascinating, and the author offers an admirable sweep of the ways in which the ocean has been used and depicted over the past 500 years or so. He draws on a rich variety of source materials, and some of [his] ideas sparkle...." Choice"In a relatively short book, Philip Steinberg succeeds in explaining the social and historical nature of our past and present conceptualizations of the sea." Journal of World History, Hans K. Van Tilburg, NOAA Ocean Service
Synopsis
Discussing the changing uses, regulations and representation of the sea from 1450 to now.
Synopsis
Through an investigation of legal texts, literary and artistic creations, maps, advertisements, and policy debates, Steinberg narrates an engaging history that traces changing uses, regulations, and representations of the world-ocean from c.1450 to the present. Integrating a series of theories that have been used to explain social forces and state policy on land, Steinberg suggests that although the sea has certain properties that make its history unique, it can be subject to a similar level of social analysis as a global space of political, economic, and cultural history.
Synopsis
Through an investigation of legal texts, literary and artistic creations, maps, advertisements, and policy debates, Steinberg narrates an engaging history that traces changing uses, regulations, and representations of the world-ocean from c.1450 to the present. Integrating a series of theories that have been used to explain social forces and state policy on land, Steinberg suggests that although the sea has certain properties that make its history unique, it can be subject to a similar level of social analysis as a global space of political, economic, and cultural history.