The Myth of Continents

By Kären Wigen, Martin W. Lewis,

Book cover of The Myth of Continents: A Critique of Metageography

Book description

In this thoughtful and engaging critique, geographer Martin W. Lewis and historian Karen Wigen reexamine the basic geographical divisions we take for granted, and challenge the unconscious spatial frameworks that govern the way we perceive the world. Arguing that notions of East vs. West, First World vs. Third World, and…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Myth of Continents as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

In this fascinating and highly readable account of how we have come to think of the globe, Martin and Lewis (a geographer and historian respectively) introduce their reader to the historical construction, contingencies, and inconsistencies of our basic geographical building blocks. On what basis has the world been divided up into “east,” and “west,” and how, for example, did Japan come to be considered part of the “West?” Why do we think of continents as fixed entities rather than as conceptual categories for thinking about both space and culture? How do these categories shape our continuing perception of geographic space…

Want books like The Myth of Continents?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Myth of Continents.

Browse books like The Myth of Continents

Book cover of The Gate of Heavenly Peace: The Chinese and Their Revolution
Book cover of Soulstealers: The Chinese Sorcery Scare of 1768
Book cover of The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,188

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in China, geopolitics, and presidential biography?

China 646 books
Geopolitics 36 books