Land Loss in Louisiana: A Neopragmatic Redescription

This book explores the neopragmatic approach of horizontal geographies, focusing on coastal Louisiana, which is characterized by unstable and not well-defined hybridities due to natural and human processes. It highlights the limits of a positivist understanding of boundaries and suggests the need for horizontal geographic integration of different theoretical and methodological approaches.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 107 pages
Publication date: 07 March 2023
Publisher: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden

This book delves into the realm of testing and developing the neopragmatic approach of horizontal geographies, a field that draws upon insights from natural sciences, social sciences, and cultural studies. By focusing on the rapidly changing elemental space and its social representations, characterized by unstable and not well-defined hybridities, the book emphasizes the regional significance of coastal Louisiana. This region stands as a testament to the dynamic nature of our world, with the Mississippi River playing a pivotal role. Through its extensive sediments, the river has shifted the coastal fringe of present-day Louisiana into the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in a significant land gain. However, this land expansion is not without its natural counterparts, as well as the consequences of human intervention that lead to marine encroachment. A complex interplay of various factors contributes directly and indirectly to coastal land loss, raising urgent questions about how to describe and understand emerging hybrid spaces. This exploration highlights the limitations of a positivist understanding of boundaries, which is often confined to physical geographical dimensions.

In the neopragmatic tradition, the research findings from positivist approaches will be framed in social constructivist terms and complemented by phenomenological approaches to Louisiana's coastal space. This approach suggests the need for and potentials of horizontal geographic integration of different theoretical and methodological approaches, as well as researcher perspectives and data bases. By embracing a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, the book aims to shed light on the complexities of coastal regions and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the world we inhabit.

Weight: 212g
Dimension: 240 x 168 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783658398880
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023