Bertrand Westphal's 'Le Monde possible' Maps the Politics of Representation

In 'Le Monde possible' (Editions de Minuit), Bertrand Westphal investigates the roles of geography and cartography as instruments of warfare and control, positing that lands are perpetually divided and appropriated. He references philosophers such as Pascal and Rousseau regarding the implications of usurpation. This work serves as a 'long-term geo-critical investigation' that analyzes territorial representations through various cartographic and literary lenses. Expanding on his 2007 publication 'Géocritique. Réel, fiction, espace,' Westphal presents insights from Western, Arab, Chinese, and African perspectives. He contends that globalization has eliminated 'blanks' on maps, thus narrowing our comprehension of the unknown. The book raises questions about the potential for experiencing infinity amid global interconnectivity. Review by Francis Wybrands in artpress.