Life, Earth, Colony explores the ideas, life, and historical significance of German zoologist turned geographer Friedrich Ratzel (1844–1904), famous for developing the foundations of geopolitical thought. Ratzel produced a remarkable body of work that revolutionized the study of space, movement, colonization, and war. He also served as a source of intellectual inspiration for national socialism,… Read More Ina Klinke (2023): Life, Earth, Colony Friedrich Ratzel’s Necropolitical Geography. University of Michigan Press: Ann Arbor.

This book examines the processes of scientific, cultural, political, technical, colonial and violent appropriation during the 19th century. The 19th century was the century of world travel. The earth was explored, surveyed, described, illustrated, and categorized. Travelogues became world bestsellers. Modern technology accompanied the travelers and adventurers: clocks, a postal and telegraph system, surveying equipment,… Read More Jörn Happel, Melanie Hussinger, and Hajo Raupach (ed.) (2024): Expeditions in the Long Nineteenth Century Discovering, Surveying, and Ordering: Routledge: New York and London

The world is warming rapidly and this change is most noticeable in mountains with already observable consequences on temperature extremes, water cycle, plant and animal distribution, and the resilience of local livelihoods. This book presents concepts, methodologies and major achievements of recent research in climate change ecology in mountains by placing this research in a… Read More Oliver Dangles (2023): Climate Change on Mountains Reviving Humboldt’s Approach to Science. Springer Nature Switzerland.

This book examines the role of photography and visual culture in the emergence of ecological science between 1895 and 1939. Offers a new perspective on how ecological science developed Illuminates photography’s role in shaping new forms of knowledge Informed by the author’s own experience as a field ecologist, photographer and photohistorian

Jahrhundertelang träumten europäische Seefahrer vergeblich von einer Ostroute durchs sibirische Eismeer: Willem Barents und Vitus Bering erlagen nach ihren »Entdeckungen« Spitzbergens und der Beringstraße den Strapazen ihrer Expeditionen, und selbst der erfolgsverwöhnte James Cook scheiterte an der Suche nach dem östlichen Ausgang aus den Eismassen. Die Sowjetunion erkämpfte sich den Seeweg durch den Einsatz von… Read More Andreas Renner (2024): Nordostpassage. Geschichte eines Seewegs. mareverlag: Hamburg.