Maps and the politics of the archive

In this film, Maiken speaks to Hayley Cotterill, a senior archivist at Nottingham, who talks about her professional experiences on why maps are produced, altered, and then either preserved in archives or discarded. The three examples she shares with learners move beyond the notion of political territory as seen by states, which Ian focused on in the British Library video. Hayley’s maps are different: they feature land as an economic resource, as part of a culture of orientalism and exploration, and, last but not least, as a site of violent conflict.

Please use the comment box to reflect on the politics of maps that do not represent state territory. In what ways do they resemble the maps discussed by the British Library team? And how do their ideological agendas differ? What are the political implications of mapping ownership of land, or of representing land as a travel destination, or a site of armed conflict?

All images / materials depicted with the permission of University of Nottingham, Manuscripts and Special Collections.