Handbook on Geographies of Technology: (Research Handbooks in Geography series)

This Handbook offers an insightful and comprehensive overview from a geographic perspective of the numerous and varied technologies that are shaping the contemporary world. It shows how geography and technology are intimately linked by examining the origins, growth, and impacts of 27 different technologies and highlighting how they influence the structure and spatiality of society. Following summaries of important conceptual issues such as diffusion, gender and science studies, the book explores various technologies, which are grouped into six main categories: Computational: code, location-based services and virtual reality Communications: fiber optics, satellites, the internet, radio, cell phones and television Transportation: automobiles, aviation, drones, railroads, and shipping and ports Energy: biofuels, dams, fracking, geothermal energy, pipelines, solar energy and LEED buildings Manufacturing: robotics, just-in-time systems and nanotechnology Life sciences: new technologies of health care, biotechnology and biometrics. Significantly, the book includes in-depth explorations of new technologies that have so far received very little attention from geographers. This much-needed Handbook offers a comprehensive and state-of-the-art summary of the geographies of major technologies and how they affect society, economies, geographies and everyday life. It will appeal to academics and advanced students interested in geography, planning and the social sciences in general. Contributors include: R. Baghel, M. Batty, R.E. Baxter, T. Birtchnell, M.J. Blair, L. Cabral, K.E. Calvert, M. Chen, J. Cidell, J.C. Comer, D. Comfort, S.W. Cunningham, M. Dodge, A.R. Goetz, A. Golub, A. Grech, D. Hillier, A. Holl, J.P. Howell, A. Johnson, P. Jones, A. Kellerman, L. Kurdgelashvili, L. Li, H. Lin, R. Lobato, B.P.Y. Loo, A. López Peláez, E. Louie, S. Maalsen, W.E. Mabee, J.D. Makholm, J. McLean, M. Nüsser, G. Popescu, R. Rama, P.L. Robertson, J.-P. Rodrigue, M.W. Rosenberg, B. Solomon, J.D. Stephen, D. Sui, G. Timilsina, N. Waldbrook, B. Warf, T.A. Wikle, C. Wilkinson

Table of Contents:
Contents: 1. Introduction Barney Warf PART I: CONCEPTUAL ISSUES 2. Technological Diffusion in Local, Regional, National and Transnational Settings Paul L. Robertson 3. Beyond the Binaries: Geographies of Gender-Technology Relations Jessica McLean, Sophia Maalsen and Alana Grech 4. Space for STS: An Overview of Science and Technology Studies Jordan P. Howell PART II: COMPUTATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES 5. Code/Space and the Challenge of Software Algorithms Martin Dodge 6. Understanding Locational-based Services: Core Technologies, Key Applications, and Major Concerns Daniel Sui 7. Virtual Realities, Analogies and Technologies in Geography Michael Batty, Hui Lin and Min Chen PART III: COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES 8. Fiber Optics: Nervous System of the Global Economy Barney Warf 9. The Internet as Geographic Technology Aharon Kellerman 10. Tuning in to the Geographies of Radio Catherine Wilkinson 11. Eyes in the Sky: Satellites and Geography Barney Warf 12. The Geography of Mobile Telephony Jonathan C. Comer and Thomas A. Wikle 13. Streaming Services and the Changing Global Geography of Television Ramon Lobato PART IV: TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES 14. Automobility in Space and Time Aaron Golub and Aaron Johnson 15. Air Transport: Speed, Global Connectivity and Time-Space Convergence Andrew R. Goetz 16. Drones in Human Geography Thomas Birtchnell 17. Geography of Railroads Linna Li and Becky P.Y. Loo 18. Ports and Maritime Technology Jean-Paul Rodrigue PART V: ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES 19. Assessing the Spatial, Economic, and Environmental Implications of Biorefining Technologies: Insights from North America Kirby E. Calvert, Jamie D. Stephen, M.J. Blair, Laura Cabral, Ryan E. Baxter and Warren E. Mabee 20. The Emergence of Technological Hydroscapes in the Anthropocene: Socio-hydrology and Development Paradigms of Large Dams Marcus Nüsser and Ravi Baghel 21. Fracking for Shale in the UK: Risks, Reputation and Regulation Peter Jones, Daphne Comfort, and David Hillier 22. Geography of Geothermal Energy Technologies Edward Louie and Barry Solomon 23. LEED Buildings Julie Cidell 24. The Interaction of Pipelines and Geography in Support of Fuel Markets Jeff D. Makholm 25. The Evolution of Solar Energy Technologies and Supporting Policies Govinda Timilsina and Lado Kurdgelashvili PART VI: MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES 26. Just-in-Time and Space Ruth Rama and Adelheid Holl 27. Robotics Antonio López Peláez 28. The Geography of Nanotechnology Scott W. Cunningham PART VII: LIFE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES 29. Biotechnology: Commodifying Life Barney Warf 30. Creating New Geographies of Health and Health Care through Technology Mark W. Rosenberg and Natalie Waldbrook 31. Biometric Technologies and the Automation of Identity and Space Gabriel Popescu Index

About the Author :
Edited by Barney Warf, Department of Geography, University of Kansas, US

Review :
'An innovative and most valuable tour de force about geography/technology intersections in economic, social and political contexts. The thirty one chapters discuss the histories of specific technologies, 20th century advances and most recent innovations, the leading producers and consumers and current technology/social policy issues. The technologies addressed by author teams (mostly geographers) include railroads, air transport, automobiles, ports, radio, television, satellites, pipelines, geothermal sites, dams and more recent advances: the internet, drones, fiber optics, mobile phones, fracking, solar energy, nanotechnology, biometrics, location based services, code-spaces, virtual realities, LEED buildings, gender/technology interfaces, just-in-time technologies and health care advances. An excellent source of disciplinary, interdisciplinary and international literatures. Many chapters include maps and graphics. Useful for disciplinary and interdisciplinary courses and seminars and also workshops in universities, government and the private sector where cutting-edge advances are explored. This reference source will be cited and used by junior and senior scholars for the coming decades.'