The ‘Mediterranean World’: European Power Politics and the Geographical Mind, 1571–1973

The expression “Mediterranean World” refers to a geographical division supposedly distinguished from all others by its unique characteristics. By taking a long-term perspective, the book traces the gradual emergence, from the late sixteenth century onward, of ideas that imbued the Mediterranean Sea with meanings that referred to something other than just a sea. These ideas crystallised into a distinct concept of Mediterranean-ness during and after the Napoleonic era, when it was harnessed in the service of European power politics. The book explores how its subsequent iterations served colonial and neo-colonial interests, right up to the Cold War, when Western hegemony in the region passed from Europe to the United States. Although grounded in the history of ideas and concepts, the text weaves its analysis into a comprehensive narrative, making it accessible to non-specialist readers and suitable for use as a history textbook in International Relations and related fields.