Cosmopolitanism and the Geographies of Freedom (The Wellek Library Lectures)

Liberty and freedom are frequently invoked to justify political action. Presidents as diverse as Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush have built their policies on some version of these noble values. Yet in practice, idealist agendas often turn sour as they confront specific circumstances on the ground. Demonstrated by incidents at Abu Ghraib and Guant?namo Bay, the pursuit of liberty and freedom can lead to violence and repression, undermining our trust in universal theories of liberalism, neoliberalism, and cosmopolitanism.Combining his passions for politics and geography, David Harvey charts a cosmopolitan order more appropriate to an emancipatory form of global governance. Political agendas tend to fail, he argues, because they ignore the complexities of geography. Incorporating geographical knowledge into the formation of social and political policy is therefore a necessary condition for genuine democracy. Harvey begins with an insightful critique of the political uses of freedom and liberty, especially during the George W. Bush administration. Then, through an ontological investigation into geography's foundational concepts—space, place, and environment—he radically reframes geographical knowledge as a basis for social theory and political action. As Harvey makes clear, the cosmopolitanism that emerges is rooted in human experience rather than illusory ideals and brings us closer to achieving the liberation we seek. (May 2010) Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 6 Prologue......Page 9 Universal Values......Page 23 1. Kant's Anthropology and Geography......Page 24 2. The Postcolonial Critique of liberal Cosmopolitanism......Page 44 3. The Flat World of Neoliberal Utopianism......Page 58 4. The New Cosmopolitans......Page 84 5. The Banality of Geographical Evils......Page 105 Geographical Knowledges......Page 130 6. Geographical Reason......Page 131 7. Spacetime and the World......Page 139 The First Dimension......Page 140 The Second (Lefebvrian) Dimension......Page 147 A Structural Representation......Page 151 The Space and Time of Marxian Theory......Page 153 Dynamics......Page 159 Politics......Page 163 8. Places, Regions, Territories......Page 172 Ideas of Place, Region, and Territory......Page 175 The Relationality of Place......Page 183 The Heideggerian Moment......Page 188 Open and Closed Places......Page 194 The Politics of Place......Page 200 9. The Nature of Environment......Page 208 Environmental Determinisms......Page 219 The Natural Order of Things......Page 226 Species Being and the Human Order of Things......Page 231 The Dialectics of Nature......Page 236 The Dialectics of Socio-ecological Transformations......Page 239 The Method of Moments......Page 242 Epilogue: GEOGRAPHICAL THEORY AND THE RUSES OF GEOGRAPHICAL REASON......Page 255 The Individual......Page 258 State Theories......Page 266 Constructing Geographies......Page 279 Liberating Spaces......Page 286 Prologue......Page 290 1. Kant's Anthropology and Geography......Page 291 2. The Postcolonial Critique of Liberal Cosmopolitanism......Page 293 3. The Flat World of Neoliberal Utopianism......Page 294 4. The New Cosmopolitans......Page 296 5. The Banality of Geographical Evils......Page 298 6. Geographical Reason......Page 299 7. Spacetime and the World......Page 300 8. Places, Regions, Territories......Page 303 9. The Nature of Environment......Page 306 Epilogue......Page 310

Liberty and freedom are frequently invoked to justify political action. Presidents as diverse as Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush have built their policies on some version of these noble values. Yet in practice, idealist agendas often turn sour as they confront specific circumstances on the ground. Demonstrated by incidents at Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo Bay, the pursuit of liberty and freedom can lead to violence and repression, undermining our trust in universal theories of liberalism, neoliberalism, and cosmopolitanism.

Combining his passions for politics and geography, David Harvey charts a cosmopolitan order more appropriate to an emancipatory form of global governance. Political agendas tend to fail, he argues, because they ignore the complexities of geography. Incorporating geographical knowledge into the formation of social and political policy is therefore a necessary condition for genuine democracy.

Harvey begins with an insightful critique of the political uses of freedom and liberty, especially during the George W. Bush administration. Then, through an ontological investigation into geography's foundational concepts-space, place, and environment-he radically reframes geographical knowledge as a basis for social theory and political action. As Harvey makes clear, the cosmopolitanism that emerges is rooted in human experience rather than illusory ideals and brings us closer to achieving the liberation we seek.

Columbia University Press

"Liberty and freedom are frequently invoked to justify political action. Presidents as diverse as Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush have built their policies on some version of these noble values. Yet in practice, idealist agendas often turn sour as they confront specific circumstances on the ground. Demonstrated by incidents at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, the pursuit of liberty and freedom can lead to violence and repression, undermining our trust in universal theories of liberalism, neoliberalism, and cosmopolitanism. Combining his passions for politics and geography, David Harvey charts a cosmopolitan order more appropriate to an emancipatory form of global governance. Political agendas tend to fail, he argues, because they ignore the complexities of geography. Incorporating geographical knowledge into the formation of social and political policy is therefore a necessary condition for genuine democracy. Harvey begins with an insightful critique of the political uses of freedom and liberty, especially during the George W. Bush administration. Then, through an ontological investigation into geography's foundational concepts--space, place, and environment--he radically reframes geographical knowledge as a basis for social theory and political action. As Harvey makes clear, the cosmopolitanism that emerges is rooted in human experience rather than illusory ideals and brings us closer to achieving the liberation we seek." -- Publisher's description Liberty and freedom are frequently invoked to justify political action. Presidents as diverse as Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush have built their policies on some version of these noble values. Yet in practice, idealist agendas often turn sour as they confront specific circumstances on the ground. Demonstrated by incidents at Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo Bay, the pursuit of liberty and freedom can lead to violence and repression, undermining our trust in universal theories of liberalism, neoliberalism, and cosmopolitanism. Combining his passions for politics and geography, David Harvey charts a cosmopolitan order more appropriate to an emancipatory form of global governance. Political agendas tend to fail, he argues, because they ignore the complexities of geography. Incorporating geographical knowledge into the formation of social and political policy is therefore a necessary condition for genuine democracy. Harvey begins with an insightful critique of the political uses of freedom and liberty, especially during the George W. Bush administration. Then, through an ontological investigation into geography's foundational concepts—space, place, and environment—he radically reframes geographical knowledge as a basis for social theory and political action. As Harvey makes clear, the cosmopolitanism that emerges is rooted in human experience rather than illusory ideals and brings us closer to achieving the liberation we seek. "Liberty and freedom are frequently invoked to justify political action. Presidents as diverse as Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush have built their policies on some version of these noble values. Yet in practice, idealist agendas often turn sour as they confront specific circumstances on the ground. Demonstrated by incidents at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, the pursuit of liberty and freedom can lead to violence and repression, undermining our trust in universal theories of liberalism, neoliberalism, and cosmopolitanism.Combining his passions for politics and geography, David Harvey charts a cosmopolitan order more appropriate to an emancipatory form of global governance. Political agendas tend to fail, he argues, because they ignore the complexities of geography. Incorporating geographical knowledge into the formation of social and political policy is therefore a necessary condition for genuine democracy."--Jacket pt. 1. Universal values Kant's anthropology and geography The postcolonial critique of liberal cosmopolitanism The flat world of neoliberal utopianism The new cosmopolitans The banality of geographical evils pt. 2. Geographical knowledges Geographical reason Spacetime and the world Places, regions, territories The nature of environment Epilogue: Geographical theory and the ruses of geographical reason.