The Politics of Maps

This book will benefit readers who are interested in the politicization of culture and science in Middle Eastern conflicts. * Chaoqun Lian, Peking University, China International Strategy Review *
The book provides an excellent survey of how Israelis, and to a much lesser extent, Palestinians, assert their politics through maps. The authors achieve their stated purpose, which is to demonstrate how maps produce reality, rather than reflect it. * Zachary Foster, The Portolan *
This book consistently shows the importance of maps as communication devices, providing insights that could otherwise not be gained, and how information from the field complements potential analyses based on probably unavailable direct observation. Additionally, access to local experts who can provide context to the geographical scene permits a fuller framework of understanding.... Summing Up: Highly recommended. * CHOICE *
The fascinating book written by Christine Leuenberger and Izhak Schnell is the result of longstanding research that took years to appear in the final format of this book. And the result is worth waiting for. Published by Oxford University Press, The Politics of Maps will stay as a reference in the field of cartographic research applied to a rather complex case study, Israel-Palestine. * Daniel Meier, Borders in Globalization Review *
Overall, this fascinating, informative, and critical book is a must-read for anyone interested in political cartography or the Israel/Palestine conflict. The authors reveal a country with a highly professional and technological mapping process, but one that can at times be manipulated as a means of disseminating or emphasising specific political messages. In an era of digitised and Google maps, it is far less easy than in the past to advance one side of the conflict, yet Leuenberger and Schnell make clear just how important mapping and cartography remain within the political process. * David Newman, Times Higher Education *
In this remarkable book, Christine Leuenberger and Izhak Schnell have done a formidable job of demystifying, through the emblematic and concrete case of Israel/Palestine, the role of maps in state building. They establish that maps are merely representations, resulting from the processing of data through cognitive, cultural, and political filters. Their work is essential for understanding how mapping practices, far from being neutral and objective, are formidable tools for defining and legitimizing geographical knowledge and territorial imaginations. * Élisabeth Vallet, University of Quebec at Montreal *
Christine Leuenberger and Izhak Schnell leave no stone unturned as they trace the development and politics of mapping in one of the most contested territories on earth — Israel/Palestine. The two scholars offer a powerful analysis of central role of mapping in colonialism, nationalism, and Zionist nation-building, as well as in the futile attempts to achieve Palestine statehood. The book is a must for students, scholars and observers of this protracted political and cartographic drama. * Oren Yiftachel, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev *