THE POLITICS OF POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY 31
Figure 1.1
Source: Langhans-Ratzeburg (1929)
or zones of tension across Europe unhampered by
state borders and even the seas.32 They illustrate the
commonly held view in this tradition that political
boundaries are dynamic and insignificant in light
of large-scale environmental influences. The likeness
of the maps shows that Hérodote belongs in
the power-oriented tradition.
By contrast, the map of conflicting claims
in Bowman (1922) timidly clings to clearly
demarcated territories and exposes its state-focused
character (see figure 1.3). The precise delimitation
of these areas also implies factual accuracy and
thus objectivity. Other maps in the governance tradition
strive for the same ‘scientific’ status. The
maps used by the American Inquiry were authored
by respected scientists (American Geographical
Society, 1919), the electoral atlases that are so
popular in France are based on official statistics