A Spectacle of Maps: Cartographic Hopes and Anxieties in the Pamirs

Maps in the Pamirs region of Tajikistan are not merely representations but active agents shaping realities on the ground, according to new research. Over 150 years, cartographic anxieties—from imperial rivalries during the Great Game to Soviet and Chinese border concerns, post-Cold War territorial disputes, mining interests, and conservation efforts—have driven map-making projects that foster specific visions of the future. These maps serve as a lens to understand evolving external engagements in the region, challenging traditional views of cartography as passive documentation. The study employs a historical and spatial analysis, drawing on the work of Rob Kitchin and Martin Dodge (2007), to argue for the 'ontogenetic' role of maps in constructing territorial realities.

Saxer, M. (2017). A Spectacle of Maps: Cartographic Hopes and Anxieties in the Pamirs. Cross-Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review, 6(1), 122–150. https://doi.org/10.1353/ach.2017.0005