Mental maps and Canada's post-war Asian policy. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Webster, David
• Is Part Of: International journal. Volume 75:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 548
• Page End: 562
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Canada–Asia relations -- mental maps -- Canadian foreign relations -- Greg Donaghy -- Lester Pearson; World politics -- Periodicals; Canada -- Foreign relations -- Periodicals; 327.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0020702020980771
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7020

Abstract

This article takes up the concept of mental maps as lens through which to survey Canada–Asia relations. Before Canadians could embrace Asia politically and economically, they had to stop imagining Asia as culturally distant. Their mental maps—the way they imagined the world—formed the invisible background to policy-making. Through an engagement with Greg Donaghy's work on Canadian relations with Asia, this article makes the case for using mental maps to understand trans-Pacific relations.