Abstract
Abstract This article presents an alternative political history of recent planetary thought through an examination of geopoetics rooted in the colonial politics of Indonesia and Cold War geosciences. This history reveals how geopoetics has not been marginal or critical of dominant scientific narratives but has been central to the development of modern theories of the earth. The article traces the roots of that history in colonial Indonesia through debates between geologists, Theosophists, and orientalists, and in colonial endeavors to suppress Javanese Islam through new geological narratives. It considers the work of Johannes Umbgrove, his theory of geopoetry, and its influence on Harry Hess and the theory of plate tectonics. Acknowledging this history shows us just how deeply connected geopoetics is to much longer religious, cosmological, and political conversations about narrating the earth. The article examines how geopoetics has long been preoccupied with understanding the connectivity of nature and catastrophic histories and points to contemporary possibilities for rethinking the relationship between humans, the earth, and cosmos.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
