Topologies of Power : Beyond territory and networks

Topologies of Power calls into question the idea that power is simply extended across a given territory or network. The pervasive quality of governments to reach into our lives, the ability of far flung corporations to register their presence at close quarters and the ease with which NGOs fold global harms into local campaigns, all speak to a world in which distance is no longer a question of what is near or far. Proximity and distance now play across one another; topology not topography offers a better grasp of the workings of power today. Drawing upon a range of case studies, this book will be invaluable for students in human geography, politics, cultural studies, STS and urban studies.

Topologies of Power amounts to a radical departure in the way that power and space have been understood. It calls into question the very idea that power is simply extended across a given territory or network, and argues that power today has a new found ‘reach’. Topological shifts have subtly altered the reach of power, enabling governments, corporations and NGOs alike to register their presence through quieter, less brash forms of power than domination or overt control. In a world in which proximity and distance increasingly play across one another, topology offers an insight into how power remains continuous under transformation: the same but different in its ability to shape peoples’ lives.

Drawing upon a range of political, economic and cultural illustrations, the book sets out a clear and accessible account of the topological workings of power in the contemporary moment. It will be invaluable for both students and academics in human geography, politics, sociology, and cultural studies.