New research challenges long-held beliefs about state-building in the colonial era. Contrary to structural theories, this study argues that uneven territorial control resulted from deliberate strategic decisions by the colonial administration seeking stability.
🔍 Data & Methods
The article uses an original geo-referenced grid-cell dataset covering 1890-1909 based on German colonial yearbooks and maps.
📍 Key Findings
Researchers demonstrate that state penetration was actively managed through a strategic imperative to control territory, rather than being determined by pre-existing factors or resource availability. This approach explains the unevenness of political reach across different regions.
🔄 Why It Matters
The findings fundamentally alter our understanding of colonial governance. They suggest that strategies, not just structures or resources, drove territorial administration during Germany's time in East Africa.︎
| The Territorial Expansion of the Colonial State: Evidence from German East Africa 1890-1909 was authored by Jan Pierskalla. It was published by Cambridge in BJPS in 2019. |
