How Histories make Geographies

Abstract

Cultural objects move with increasing speed across regional and national boundaries resulting in an ever faster, volatile traffic in commodities, styles and information. This essay explores the resulting global cultural flows and networks that develop in these accelerated circumstances, creating often worrisome dynamics on a global and local level. The aim is to prepare the grounds for a new methodology that considers “the circulation of forms and the forms of circulation.” Such a methodology, which is based on the argument that histories shape geographies and not vice versa, is needed for a fruitful discussion of the conflicts and connections between the various "scapes" and forces.