Spatial Dimensions of American Politics

Geography matters in American politics. In a wide array of studies, the spatial dimensions of American politics have been shown to be varied and rich. Early studies showed how geographic features might be related to politics in an ontological sense, though sometimes in inchoate and implicit ways. Fewer studies have focused on how geography matters epistemologically. This latter sense, which must be preceded by the former, is more difficult to measure and, accordingly, more difficult to show. The growth in studies of geography and politics is exciting and becoming more advanced alongside technological tool development. As the field matures, more explicit engagement with the concept of geography will yield new and exciting insights into the phrase “geography matters.”