Published 2017-01-01
Keywords
- Geopolitics,
- Google Maps,
- cartography,
- border disputes,
- political maps
How to Cite
Copyright (c) 2022 European Journal of Geography

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Geographic maps and cartographic representations have become the new battle arenas where
countries contest claims regarding territorial ownership, the exact location of borders and the
names of disputed places. This paper analyzes the role of traditional and digital maps in
asserting national identity and reinforcing claims of ownership by examining the case of
Dokdo Island (South Korean name) or Takeshima Islands (Japanese name). According to the
research findings, both countries understand that maps from earlier imperialistic periods have
no legal value in proving their claims of sovereignty. Nevertheless, both make extensive use
of historical maps as perceptual and propaganda weapons in order to gain a moral advantage
in presenting their territorial claims as well as to shape the collective national consciousness.