Maps belong to the oldest forms of human communication and thus represent an important historical record of space. Yet, maps are much more than just a visual presentation of a territory during a certain period of time, they are a reflection of the historical, political, religious and cultural contexts in which they were compiled.

This series of lectures invites a fresh critical view on mapping; its role in the global circulation of knowledge; influence on state sovereignty and royal authority; colonialism, imperialism, and national identities throughout history.

Berlin is an apt place for this topic. It has historically been a meeting point of mapping practices from all over the world. The city played a key role in the genesis of the history of cartography as a distinct branch of the history of science. It hosts a huge variety of samples of the material culture of mapping across many institutions that illustrate how a map is strongly conditioned by the space and time in which it was created (historical context), by people who created it (mapmakers), and by the audience and purpose for which it was intended (users). Maps are, therefore, to be understood as complex social constructs representing the power of knowledge.

Germany is now a major repository of mapping efforts through history, making Berlin a perfect setting for this lecture series. The lecture series will be continued (Part II) from January 2025 onwards.

The lecture series is jointly organized by Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte, and Einstein Center Chronoi.

The event flyer is available for download below.Maps and Mapping in Global Cultural Perspectives: Temporality in Map History