The Social Atlas of Europe
Dimitris Ballas
CHOICE OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC TITLE 2015
Many of us think of European countries as discreet entities—their own languages, cultures, food, and economies squarely contained within their national boundaries. But in fact Europe is at once a unified place and a sophisticatedly fragmented one, and national boundaries rarely reflect its social and economic realities. The social atlas of Europe is the first atlas to map Europe according to these realities, from the perspective of human geography rather than simply a political one.
Using innovative full-color visualization methods, it reconsiders European identity through its many different facets: economy, culture, history, and human and physical geography, visualizing Europe and its people in a more fluid way, in some cases using maps without artificial national boundaries. It utilizes the latest available demographic, social, and economic data through state-of-the-art geographical information systems and new cartography techniques. Through these new visualizations, this highly illustrated book offers fresh perspectives on a range of topics, including social values, culture, education, employment, environmental footprints, health and well-being, and social inequalities and cohesion. It is a bold rethinking of Europe as we know it and will be of interest to anyone who wants to understand the continent in its truest form.
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About Dimitris Ballas
Reviews for The Social Atlas of Europe
not through the artifices of geographic boundaries or gross national products, but through the underlying realities that Europeans live every day - their understandings, attitudes, and well-being - all brought to life in charts and maps that reveal the human geography of this vitally important area of the world.” Robert B. Reich, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley "A striking visual map of a dynamic and rapidly evolving Europe." Choice "The authors’ innovative use of the cartogram reveals a unique and hitherto unknown view of Europe which will be of wide interest." Professor Dr Menno-Jan Kraak, University of Twente, Netherlands “A work of and for the decade, The Social Atlas of Europe sets out to explore European identity through the social realities experienced by Europeans.” LSE Review of Books "A must for social scientists and decision-makers wanting to have a better understanding of the institutional forces that unite and divide Europeans.” Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, London School of Economics and President-elect of the Regional Science Association International.