Unified Field Theory

Stephen B. Jones

Prof. Krishnendra Meena

CSRD/SSS
JNU
 Unified Field Theory
Stephen B. Jones (1954)
Annals of the Association of American Geographers
a continuum from geography to politics as, indeed,
there must be a continuum connecting all the sciences
that study man
Unified the concept of the “field” unifies the ideas of
Derwent Whittlesey, Richard Hartshorne and
Jean Gottmann, as well as unites them with political
science.
 Unified Field Theory
Unifying the ideas of Hartshorne and Gottmann
Hartshorne (1935)
definitions of Geography and Political Geography
Geography: the science of earth areas
Political Geography: the science of political areas, or
more specifically, the study of the state as a
characteristics of areas in relation to the other areas
Hartshorne (1950)
Functional Approach to Political Geography
Centrifugal Forces Vs. Centripetal Forces
 Unified Field Theory
Jean Gottmann
1951- Geography and International Relations
1952- The Political Partitioning of Our World: An
Attempt at Analysis
Two sets of Forces
a) Circulation : to cover communication and movement
of many kinds.
b) Iconography: the whole system of symbols in which a
people believes.
 Unified Field Theory
 Jean Gottmann
Circulation is a system of movement, iconography of
resistance to movement.
Circulation, according to Gottmann, makes for change,
iconography is a factor of political stabilization. Circulation
permits space to be organized, and technical improvements
in circulation make theoretically possible the widening of
organized space.
Iconography lags behind technology and expands its areas
with difficulty.
Circulation and iconography are not always in spatial conflict.
Both focus at crossroads, though it would seem that
circulation usually comes first, creating the crossroads, and
that iconography fixes itself at the point so established.
 Unified Field Theory
Similarities and Differences b/w Hartshorne and
Gottmann

Created the Idea- Area Chain

Political Idea-Decision-Movement-Field-Political
Area.
This "chain" should be visualized as a chain of lakes or
basins, not an iron chain of separate links. The basins
interconnect at one level, so that whatever enters one
will spread to all the others.
 Unified Field Theory
Political Idea: in this sequence, means more than
just the state-idea. It means any political idea. It might
be the idea of the state or it might be the idea of a
speed limit on a country road. It might merely be a
gregarious instinct, not consciously expressed.
Political Areas: Both political scientists and
geographers have studied the phenomena at the other
end of the chain-political areas. This term is used very
inclusively to mean any politically organized area,
whether a national state, a dependent area, a sub-
division of a state, or an administrative region or
district.
 Unified Field Theory
Movement and Decision: Every political decision
involves movement in one way or another.. Some
decisions create movement, some change it, some
restrict it. Some create a new kind of movement to
replace or to control the old. Usually persons and
things move as a result of political decisions. These
politically-induced movements may be thought of as
"circulation fields."
political area in being is a condition of political
ideas, decisions, and movements. There is a general
distinction, however, between flow from idea towards
area and in the reverse direction..
 Unified Field Theory

The former is essentially a process of controlling or

creating
The reverse spread is more correctly described as
conditioning. The existence of a political area, field,
movement, or decision conditions what may take place
in the basins lying idea-ward.
A field exists in time as well as in space
 Unified Field Theory
 Application to Political Areas
Karl Deutsch—eight uniformities in the growth of nations form
other political forms of organization. Five of them are clearly
field phenomena.
a) The change from subsistence to exchange economy
b) The growth of core areas, towns,
c) and communication grids
d) The concentration of capital
e) And its effects on other areas.

7th and 8th are “iconographical” and have “field” connotations

f) The growth of ethnic awareness
g) And its relation to national symbols and to political
compulsions