(A f f e c t i v e)  G e o p o l i t i c s


Estbalished academic discourses can be enlivened by an attention to affectivity. Addressing the ways in which affect is mobilised in contemporary geopolitics is an example of the recent expansion of the concept in the social sciences.

  Linking a diverse range of topics such as political performance, film and media, and neuroscience, the idea of an affective geopolitics presents an alternative means of 'reading' or understanding ways in which peoples and places are imagined - moving beyond a rigid belief in 'rational' and conventional politics. Whilst excellent work has been published with a focus on 'big' events such as the destruction of the Twin Towers*, banal or day-to-day geopolitical processes also have affective significance, such as the now ubiquitous refrain of "In a post 9/11 world..." shaping perceptions in myriad ways.

 Possible areas of analysis might include:

  •  the affective geopolitics of the news, film and videogames etc.
  • the interaction between the dramatic and the banal
  • the links (or lack thereof) between affectivity and other ways of understanding politics
  • reflections on the intentionality of political performances in terms of their desired impact

Related references:
* Ó Tuathail, G. (2003) ‘Just looking out for a fight’: American affect and the invasion of Iraq. Antipode, 35 5 856-870
Thrift, N. (2004) “Intensities of feeling: Towards a spatial politics of affect” Geografiska Annaler, 86B (1) 157-78
Anderson, B (2006) “Becoming and being hopeful: towards a theory of affect”, Environment and Planning D, 24(5): 733-752
Sidaway, J (2008) The Dissemination of Banal Geopolitics: Webs of Extremismand Insecurity, Antipode, 35(4): 645-651

Dodd, K (2000) Political geogrpahy II: some thoughts on banality, new wars and the geopolitical tradition Progress in Human Geography, 24(1): 119-129
Anderson K and Smith S (2001) “Emotional geographies”. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 26(1): 7-10.
Connolly, W. (2002) Neuropolitics: Thinking, Culture, Speed. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press
Massumi, B. (2002) Parables for the virtual: movement, affect, sensation. Chapter on “the autonomy of affect”, Durham, NC: Duke University Press
McCormack, D. (2006) “For the love of pipes and cables”. Area, 38(3): 330
McCormack, D. (2003) “An event of geographical ethics in spaces of affect” Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 28(4): 488-507
Ross, A. (2006) “Coming in from the cold: Constructivism and emotions” European Journal of International Relations, 12(2): 197-222
Thien, D. (2005) “After or beyond feeling? A consideration of affect and emotion in geography” Area 37(4): 450-456
Thrift, N. (2004) “But malice aforethought: cities and the natural history of hatred”, Transactions of the institute of British Geographers, 30: 133-150


 Home      Future Themes