Tag Archives: political geography

Terra Relicta: Unclaimed Lands on Earth and in History, and a Typology of the Reasons They Remained Unclaimed

Posted on October 26, 2026 by nathanalbright

Abstract The modern political map presents itself as complete, with every landmass assigned to a sovereign. That appearance is misleading. A small number of terrestrial areas are claimed by no state today. A much larger set of spaces, including the … Continue reading →

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Geography as Ledger: Reading the Confluence of Physical, Political, and Historical Landscapes Without Determinism or Ahistoricism

Posted on October 22, 2026 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Geography is often read in one of two flawed ways. The first treats terrain, climate, and soil as destiny, with human societies as the predictable output of physical conditions. The second treats human institutions as if they floated … Continue reading →

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The Capital and the Country: The Urban-Rural Divide in Iceland and Its Effects on Politics and Culture

Posted on October 8, 2026 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Iceland has a real and measurable urban-rural divide, but it takes an unusual form. The relevant split is less “city versus farm” than “the capital region versus everywhere else.” Roughly two-thirds of the population lives in and around … Continue reading →

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The Unrepresented Federation: Canadian Regionalism Beyond Quebec and Alberta

Posted on October 1, 2026 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Public discussion of Canadian regionalism tends to focus on two cases: Quebec, with its language, distinct national identity, and two sovereignty referendums, and Alberta, with its energy economy and recurring western alienation. These cases are important, but they … Continue reading →

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The Amalgamation Impasse: Efficiency, Local Identity, and a Development Model for the Northeast Avalon: A White Paper

Posted on September 28, 2026 by nathanalbright

1. Summary For more than half a century, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has periodically tried to reduce the number of local governments, especially around St. John’s and other service centres. The reasoning has usually been administrative efficiency: fewer … Continue reading →

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Regional Government on the Northeast Avalon: Hopes, Plans, Prospects, and a Pathway to City Status: A White Paper

Posted on September 27, 2026 by nathanalbright

1. Summary The St. John’s metropolitan area is by far the most populous and economically integrated part of Newfoundland and Labrador. For decades, municipal leaders, researchers, and the municipal association have argued that its many local governments should plan and … Continue reading →

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Cities and Towns in Newfoundland and Labrador: What the Three City Acts Establish and Where Provincial Municipal Law Is Heading: A White Paper

Posted on September 27, 2026 by nathanalbright

1. Summary Newfoundland and Labrador has three kinds of general-purpose local government: cities, towns, and local service districts. The distinction between a city and a town is not based on population. It rests on where each municipality’s authority comes from. … Continue reading →

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City Status for the Town of Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador: Where the Question Stands: A White Paper for Residents

Posted on September 27, 2026 by nathanalbright

1. Summary Paradise is now one of the largest municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador. By population it is larger than two of the province’s three cities, yet it is still legally a town. The main reason is not size. Newfoundland … Continue reading →

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The Border Is Always Somewhere Else: Deflected Exonyms, Residual Regions, and the Legitimacy of Geographical Labels

Posted on September 19, 2026 by nathanalbright

Abstract Many geographical labels have no willing inhabitants. The Balkans, Eastern Europe, Upstate New York, the Third World, and flyover country are real enough in public speech, but the peoples assigned to them routinely reject the assignment and relocate the … Continue reading →

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The Stage and the Argument: Political Geography of the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Sites and Their Place in Antebellum Illinois Politics

Posted on September 16, 2026 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The seven joint debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in the late summer and autumn of 1858 are usually remembered for what was said. Where it was said matters just as much. The debates were held … Continue reading →

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