Indigenous Studies and Ecology
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
Abstract: Through an analysis of the arguments about climate, contiguity, and distance made by opponents of the Alaska Purchase, this essay examines the spatial anxieties shadowing the evolution of US expansionism during a postwar moment in which innovation in, and the expansion of, technological systems was revolutionizing imperial possibilities. It traces the role of space in identifying national compatibility and, relatedly, in identifying human and racial difference. The first part focuses on how misperceptions that Alaska's climate was exceedingly and uniformly cold encouraged a belief that the region could not fit within a framework of territorial expansion that was still primarily predicated on visions of white settlement. In the second part, this essay considers the place of territorial contiguity in the expansionist imagination, showing how policymakers and pundits worried that noncontiguous expansion was a harbinger of disunity, even as old spatial precepts were being challenged by new imperial realities.
Direct answer
What can I do from this paper page?
Use this page to scan ""A System of Foreign Colonies": Space, Nation, and Empire in the Alaska Purchase" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Indigenous Studies and Ecology research, save the paper, or map adjacent work.
Research areas
Follow related topics
Citation
BibTeX
@article{Ping2026System,
title = {"A System of Foreign Colonies": Space, Nation, and Empire in the Alaska Purchase},
author = {Freddie Ping},
journal = {The Journal of the Civil War Era},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1353/cwe.2026.a997437},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1353/cwe.2026.a997437}
}FAQ
Using this paper in a discovery workflow
How do I find related work for this paper?
Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.
How can I keep up with new Indigenous Studies and Ecology research papers?
Follow Indigenous Studies and Ecology research in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.
Can I cite this paper from this page?
This page includes a static BibTeX block for "A System of Foreign Colonies": Space, Nation, and Empire in the Alaska Purchase. Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.
Follow this research in Scollr
Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.
Get the app