- Email: [email protected]
Maps, power, and truth
Maps, power, and truth
Essays in the History of Cartography, was determined to address what he saw as Lie of the Land: the Secret Life of Maps the political and cultural realities of An exhibition at the British Library, London, UK, showing until April 7, mapmaking and map-use, but he was 2002. See www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/lieland/overview.html. not simply concerned with contextualisThe New Nature of Maps: Essays in the History of Cartography ing cartography. Instead, Harley wanted J B Harley. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. Pp 352. to show how mapmaking was an adjunct $45.00. ISBN 0801865662. of power. His analysis of the connections between power, knowledge, and mapie of the Land showcases the Collections is available at www.bl.uk/ ping drew on the work of Michel superb collection of more than collections/maps.html). Foucault and on the problematising of four million maps held in the Dethroning any simplistic notion of knowledge. For Harley, the map, far Map Library of the British Library in scientific objectivity and any teleology from being a passive object to be viewed, London, UK. The exhibition explores of inevitable progress in cartographic emerged as a form of control. Its prothe brilliant variety of maps and method is a worthwhile endeavour, but ducer was a map-creator, not a commapping (and the exhibition is worth it is also necessary to give due weight piler, who manipulated map-users. This visiting for that alone), but, in approach demanded a scrutiny addition, looks at the effects of of maps comparable to that seen specific maps to explore the in the British Library exhibition. spurious objectivity of many The Harley approach remaps. Thus, many exhibits are placed “can”—as in what can selected to give a negative answer be mapped—by “should”. He to the question, “Can you always argued that the question of believe what you see on a map?”, what could and can be mapped or, more generally, to illustrate was determined by cultural the extent to which maps reflect and political suppositions. This the views of their makers and the postmodernist interpretation societies and times in which they drew on a left-wing distrust of were made. authority that neatly combined Power is a major theme of the government, traditional mapexhibition. Maps were a crucial making, conventional views tool in the allocation of property, on cartography—especially of and their construction reflected its progressive and positivist the disposition and purposes of character—and the notion of power. There is a map from objective truth. However, this the Down Survey of 1655–59 approach has its weaknesses. that served as a basis for the There is an underlying kernel of expropriation of the lands of Irish Map of the Arctic by Nicolaus Mercator (1606) truth in mapping after all. Catholic rebels. Another map Fact and myth intermingle on this map of the North Pole encircled by California is not an island and shows how the drawing of the four islands separated by violent currents, which were believed to the changes in knowledge that return water to the centre of the earth, where it was recycled. Anglo-German boundary in East led to the correction of this to the difficulties ans of mapmaking. Africa in 1892 ignored natural frontiers. error can be seen as progress in underAlthough power does play a part in For London, there are maps of the standing. The very notion of hegemony mapping, the theory of knowledge deployment of troops in and about is not always helpful to the underconstruction offers only limited guidance the capital during the Gordon Riots of standing of an often complex and diffuse to the complex processes and difficulties 1780, as well as a secret War Office situation. The strength of this exhibition of map-creation, not least the exigencies map of 1926 to show control points and is that it prompts such reflections, and, and compromises that characterise the facilities deemed vulnerable in the event at the same time, throws interesting collection of data and the decision of of the General Strike becoming more light on a range of activities including what can be mapped. serious, and secret Soviet military maps war, religion, and exploration. That the In politicising these processes of from 1977 designed to help in any exhibition is also well laid out and free choice and compromise, scholars invasion of the Thames estuary. The can only add to the pleasure. such as the late J B Harley (1932–91) exhibition makes its point about the Jeremy Black simplified a complex situation, while politicised nature of cartography very Department of History, School of Historical also enriching the discussion of cartowell and will encourage many to pursue Political and Sociological Studies, graphy. Harley, whose major essays are the riches of the Map Library (useful University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK published in The New Nature of Maps: information on The British Library Map British Library Map Collections
L
THE LANCET • Vol 359 • February 2, 2002 • www.thelancet.com
449
For personal use. Only reproduce with permission from The Lancet publishing Group.
Essays in the History of Cartography, was determined to address what he saw as Lie of the Land: the Secret Life of Maps the political and cultural realities of An exhibition at the British Library, London, UK, showing until April 7, mapmaking and map-use, but he was 2002. See www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/lieland/overview.html. not simply concerned with contextualisThe New Nature of Maps: Essays in the History of Cartography ing cartography. Instead, Harley wanted J B Harley. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. Pp 352. to show how mapmaking was an adjunct $45.00. ISBN 0801865662. of power. His analysis of the connections between power, knowledge, and mapie of the Land showcases the Collections is available at www.bl.uk/ ping drew on the work of Michel superb collection of more than collections/maps.html). Foucault and on the problematising of four million maps held in the Dethroning any simplistic notion of knowledge. For Harley, the map, far Map Library of the British Library in scientific objectivity and any teleology from being a passive object to be viewed, London, UK. The exhibition explores of inevitable progress in cartographic emerged as a form of control. Its prothe brilliant variety of maps and method is a worthwhile endeavour, but ducer was a map-creator, not a commapping (and the exhibition is worth it is also necessary to give due weight piler, who manipulated map-users. This visiting for that alone), but, in approach demanded a scrutiny addition, looks at the effects of of maps comparable to that seen specific maps to explore the in the British Library exhibition. spurious objectivity of many The Harley approach remaps. Thus, many exhibits are placed “can”—as in what can selected to give a negative answer be mapped—by “should”. He to the question, “Can you always argued that the question of believe what you see on a map?”, what could and can be mapped or, more generally, to illustrate was determined by cultural the extent to which maps reflect and political suppositions. This the views of their makers and the postmodernist interpretation societies and times in which they drew on a left-wing distrust of were made. authority that neatly combined Power is a major theme of the government, traditional mapexhibition. Maps were a crucial making, conventional views tool in the allocation of property, on cartography—especially of and their construction reflected its progressive and positivist the disposition and purposes of character—and the notion of power. There is a map from objective truth. However, this the Down Survey of 1655–59 approach has its weaknesses. that served as a basis for the There is an underlying kernel of expropriation of the lands of Irish Map of the Arctic by Nicolaus Mercator (1606) truth in mapping after all. Catholic rebels. Another map Fact and myth intermingle on this map of the North Pole encircled by California is not an island and shows how the drawing of the four islands separated by violent currents, which were believed to the changes in knowledge that return water to the centre of the earth, where it was recycled. Anglo-German boundary in East led to the correction of this to the difficulties ans of mapmaking. Africa in 1892 ignored natural frontiers. error can be seen as progress in underAlthough power does play a part in For London, there are maps of the standing. The very notion of hegemony mapping, the theory of knowledge deployment of troops in and about is not always helpful to the underconstruction offers only limited guidance the capital during the Gordon Riots of standing of an often complex and diffuse to the complex processes and difficulties 1780, as well as a secret War Office situation. The strength of this exhibition of map-creation, not least the exigencies map of 1926 to show control points and is that it prompts such reflections, and, and compromises that characterise the facilities deemed vulnerable in the event at the same time, throws interesting collection of data and the decision of of the General Strike becoming more light on a range of activities including what can be mapped. serious, and secret Soviet military maps war, religion, and exploration. That the In politicising these processes of from 1977 designed to help in any exhibition is also well laid out and free choice and compromise, scholars invasion of the Thames estuary. The can only add to the pleasure. such as the late J B Harley (1932–91) exhibition makes its point about the Jeremy Black simplified a complex situation, while politicised nature of cartography very Department of History, School of Historical also enriching the discussion of cartowell and will encourage many to pursue Political and Sociological Studies, graphy. Harley, whose major essays are the riches of the Map Library (useful University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK published in The New Nature of Maps: information on The British Library Map British Library Map Collections
L
THE LANCET • Vol 359 • February 2, 2002 • www.thelancet.com
449
For personal use. Only reproduce with permission from The Lancet publishing Group.