Explaining a political map as regards power/knowledge

Getting a deeper understanding of many phenomena necessitates a deeper knowledge of their hidden meaning which is the key to a perfect understanding of that particular phenomenon . No true understanding is achieved unless through a sound methodology of phenomena . Although positivism has been a dominant methodology in acquiring knowledge , but it should be noted that other methodologies shouldn’t be ignored .
Knowledge and power are mutually connected, so far power to grow knowledge - oriented background is required . This is the case with knowledge as well. I. e it too requires a background of power. Power needs a particular knowledge to show how legitimate and scientific it is . This particular knowledge can be disseminated though power very easily . As power is significant to boost a specific epistemology and a scientific device so is knowledge in stabilizing and legitimizing power and its apparatus .
Maps are scientific tools to disseminate geography as a science and a positivistic viewpoint would be of no help in understanding the impact that power has on them . Such a viewpoint represents maps as a tool to transfer information on the ground to a flat surface , but Map is a phenomenon that its understanding depends on many other factors . Maps are not concrete ontological phenomena which can be comprehended through a positivism approach . Their synthetic ontology of object and subject guide us to use Meta - positivistic methodologies to comprehend them . Although positivism has been a great help in developing science, it can be counter - effective in understanding human phenomena .
At first glance a map might seem a simple thing which tries to show a geographical picture at a particular area or the whole earth , but this is not the whole picture and a map includes a broader significance . Different aspects with various methodologies have to be taken into account while studying maps . The relation between maps and political power has to be accounted for since power is an element of significance in assigning meaning to a map and on the other hands , maps can play a role in making the government’s illusions objective and by the same token , stabilizing their hegemony . Thus , in this study , we have tried to consider map in terms of power / knowledge and the relation between power and map through quality methodology .
Power / knowledge postulated by Michel Foucault , the French historian of ideas , can be an appropriate methodology in leading us towards our destination . Different methodologies are conductive to different understandings and every phenomenon requires its suitable methodology .
The results show that a map is not only an apparatus for governments to parade their power but it is also efficient in implementing power. Maps have a place in the cycle of power and as they are a product of power , they have an undeniable role in representing a system of truth and reality of their own . By the same token people easily accept this represented world as the real one .
It might be quite helpful in understanding the connection between power and maps to say that maps are the result of power investment . As tools to propagate science and knowledge governments feel it is absolutely necessary to attach a lot of importance to maps . It is the governments that found institutes which have the responsibility of producing maps . State - run institutions including military ones employ geographers and cartographers to produce maps . No matter where that institution belong to whether in India or a Falkland protectorate archipelago or a u. s. a based one in the military .
The second aspect is the quintessential power existing in maps . Information there is easily acceptable and maps symbolize reality . Although they were first tools in the hands of power , here they represent science and reality and have the power of persuasion which can be termed “ the power of the maps ” . This power of persuasion is particular effective when deployed for a specific discourse , so those people who accept that specific discourse can be persuaded quite easily because to them truth is speaking . People involved in this field know how to manipulate maps to reach their goals . Using cartographic devices and techniques they produce maps which represent particular points of view .
Cartographers can produce what they want and make their case persuasive by attracting attention to what they want to convey. Maps play a big role in making citizens and their audience in believing that they are symbolic of reality . This is how maps form people’s opinions of their land and territory and this is the result of internal power of map.
So via an appropriate methodology we can bath acquire a sounder understanding and get rid of dogmatism and help us have a more piercing look at phenomena . Power / knowledge postulated by Michel Foucault , the French historian of ideas , can be an appropriate methodology in leading us towards our destination. This methodology helps understanding of phenomena not only as positivist methodologies have represent , but also determine the internal and external power of phenomena and obtaining the original meaning of phenomena.