Making an Anthropocene Ocean: Synoptic Geographies of the International Geophysical Year (1957–1958)

Abstract

Although the notion of the Anthropocene has generated a great deal of literature across disciplines, the geographic critique of this concept is still developing. This article contributes to justice-oriented engagements with the Anthropocene by highlighting the relationships through which planetary knowledge is constructed as sites of critique. I develop an analytic of synoptic geographies, which addresses the praxis of coordinated field measurements that creates the planetary knowledge on which concepts of the Anthropocene rest. Synoptic geographies require a geographic analytic that is capable of going beyond assertions that all knowledge is local. The International Geophysical Year (IGY; 1957–1958) provides a strategic opportunity to elaborate the stakes of synoptic geographies. The IGY was arguably the first attempt to understand the Earth as a planet through a program of widespread synoptic data collection. In particular, the synoptic geographies of the IGY’s oceanography program reveal the ways in which old and new forms of imperialism were knitted together to produce the world ocean as an object of knowledge in a new era of planetary-scale environmental politics. Key Words: Anthropocene, geographies of science, International Geophysical Year, oceans, planetary knowledge.

仅管人类世的概念已生产大量的跨领域文献，此一概念的地理学批判却仍在发展中。本文通过强调行星知识藉以建构作为批判场域的关系，对于以正义为导向的人类世涉入做出贡献。我发展综观地理学分析，该分析应对创造人类世概念所根据的行星知识的协作田野方法实践。综观地理学要求能够超越所有知识皆为地方知识的主张之地理分析。国际地球物理年（IGY；1957年至1958年）提供了一个策略机会来阐述综观地理学。IGY可说是通过一个广泛的综观数据搜集计画，理解地球作为一个行星的首次尝试。特别的是，IGY海洋地理计画的综观地理学，揭露了在星球尺度的环境政治新时代中，新、旧殖民主义共同交织以生产世界海洋作为知识目标的方式。关键词：人类世，科学的地理，国际地球物理年，海洋，行星知识。

Aunque la noción del Antropoceno ha dado lugar a una abundante literatura a través de las disciplinas, la crítica geográfica del concepto todavía se está desarrollando. Este artículo contribuye a los combates con el Antropoceno orientados a la justicia, destacando las relaciones a través de las cuales se construye el conocimiento planetario, como sitios de crítica. Yo desarrollo una analítica de geografías sinópticas, que aboca la praxis de mediciones de campo coordinadas que crean un conocimiento planetario, sobre lo cual descansa el concepto del Antropoceno. Las geografías sinópticas requieren una analítica geográfica que sea capaz de ir más allá de las aseveraciones de que todo conocimiento es local. El Año Geofísico Internacional (IGY; 1957–1958) brinda una oportunidad estratégica para elaborar las apuestas de las geografías sinópticas. El IGY probablemente fue el primer intento por entender la Tierra como planeta a través de un vasto programa de recolección de datos sinópticos. En particular, las geografías sinópticas del programa de oceanografía del IGY revelan las maneras como viejas y nuevas formas de imperialismo fueron tejidas entre sí para producir el océano mundial como objeto de conocimiento en una era nueva de políticas ambientales a escala planetaria. Palabras clave: Antropoceno, Año Geofísico Internacional, conocimiento planetario, geografías de la ciencia, océanos.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Bruce Braun, Gavin Bridge, Laura Cesafsky, Charmaine Chua, Elizabeth Hennessy, Sara Nelson, Kara Wentworth, and three anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments on previous drafts. Any errors are entirely the fault of the author.

Funding

Thanks to the University of Minnesota and the Marine Research Institute at the University of Cape Town for supporting this research.

Notes

1 Remarks by the president in connection with the opening of the International Geophysical Year; International Geophysical Year 6/30/57; Dwight. D. Eisenhower National Archive, Abilene, KS.

2 S. P. Jackson, The International Geophysical Year in Africa South of the Sahara, Commission for Technical Co-operation in Africa South of the Sahara, National Library of South Africa.

3 S. P. Jackson, The International Geophysical Year in Africa South of the Sahara, 3.

4 Minutes of Fifth Meeting, USNC Executive Committee, March 8, 1955, Washington, DC. International Geophysical Year, U.S. National Committee Meetings–1955, National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.

5 Program Report, South Africa National Committee for the International Geophysical Year 1957–58, Third Assembly of the Special Committee for the International Geophysical Year (CSAGI) 1957–1958, Brussels, September 1955. In RG 59 General Records of the Department of State, Records Relating to International Conferences, 1949–1958, and to the International Geophysical Year 1954–1958 (Multiple Lots), (Lot) 61D333 S/Sa Box 9 NN3-89-15, National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jessica Lehman

JESSICA LEHMAN is an Assistant Professor of Geography (Human–Environment) in the Department of Geography at Durham University, Durham DH1 3LY, UK. E-mail: [email protected]. Her research interests include international environmental politics, science and technology studies, marine geographies, and resource politics.