From Frontiers to Borders

‘In this rich and thought-provoking book, Kerry Goettlich traces the genealogy of linear borders between states back to the colonial origins of the practices of territorial delimitation and demarcation and their problematic legacies in international politics. Shifting the focus away from territoriality as but an aspect of state sovereignty, Goettlich provides a fresh and innovative take on an issue that has haunted the study of international relations for decades.’ Jens Bartelson, Professor of Political Science, Lund University‘From Frontiers to Borders turns conventional wisdom on its head. Contrary to the perspective that the concept of modern territoriality emanated from Europe, Kerry Goettlich shows how technical, cartographic practices in the colonies influenced spatial imagination in the imperial metropoles. In so doing he exposes the artificiality of territorial claims in general. Anyone interested in how we think about territory and borders should read this insightful book.’ Hendrik Spruyt, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Norman Dwight Harris Chair Emeritus in International Relations, Northwestern University

Kerry Goettlich is Lecturer in International Security at the University of Reading. His research has appeared in journals including the American Political Science Review, the European Journal of International Relations, and International Political Sociology. He has received numerous awards for his work including the Mary Parker Follett Prize from the American Political Science Association, the Merze Tate Prize from the International Studies Association, and the Best Dissertation Award from the European International Studies Association.