Anarchic Geography

جغرافیای آنارشیستی

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Context •How We Got Here •Theory •Tools •Critical Thinking •
Posted by Rezwan • Jun 26, 2009 • (0) Comments •
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Stumbled on the concept of Anarchic Geography.

The map is a device of power. What happens when this device is purposely redirected, hacked mischievously or stolen outright?

Issues: Persian Gulf (and the attempt to hijack it into "Arabian Gulf").

Censorship:

I stumbled on this word because I got new bookshelves. The bookshelves are a vote of confidence for stability in Iran. Time to get the books off the floor.

So, I set about putting my books on the shelves. One of the books was a quiz book for the equivalent of the GRE here in Iran, on the topic of geography. Opening it at random, I saw the question: "Which of the following geographers popularized the concept of "anarchistic geography"?"

I have no idea! So I decide to google this. I get 175,000 results. But whatever one I try to open gives me "moshtarakeh gerami". Clearly, the powers that be think this is something to be censored. Perhaps the word "Anarchy" is a bit frightening. But if the concept of anarchy is so frightening, why have it in your GRE prep book?

The Concept

This topic is actually very important for Iranians as we are living in a time of geurilla map takeovers and conflicts. It's a shame the powers that be are squeamish on exploring this idea. It is ultimately to their advantage to be aware of, capable of leveraging such concepts in their own interests.

Some quotes from this site:

Critical Cartography and Anarchist Geography
Note: Dated 2006. No longer looking for submissions. Perspectives on Anarchist Theory is looking for submissions of maps,
cartograms, diagrams, and writing, for a special issue, guest edited by
Lex Bhagat and Lize Mogel, on "Critical Cartography and Anarchist Geography."
The map is a device of power. What happens when this device is
purposely redirected, hacked mischievously or stolen outright?
This issue of Perspectives aims to carry forward the tremendous
momentum which links art, activism, geography and other practices into
the expanded "field" of radical geography and cartography. We are
inspired by recent mapping projects that redirect the culturally
understood authority of maps. Such projects have produced a new type
of networked discourse, richly communicating information through
image/text. These maps picture concentrations of power and global
economic flows; reveal the hidden workings of the prison-industrial
complex; uncover contestations of public space; overwrite political
boundaries with local ecologies; generate walking tours of feminist
social history; direct action against military recruiters or global
financial institutions; and provide a funhouse mirror to the absurdity
of electoral politics. Etcetera.

1) MAPS
We are looking for examples of geography in the service of autonomy,
cartography as activist strategy. Maps, cartograms, and diagrams will
be printed in black and white.

2) ESSAYS
We also aim to theoretically illuminate radical cartography itself by
pairing map-makers with writers. We will commission short essays that
will contextualize or respond to each map. Map-makers may submit
essays about their own maps.

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