| Abstract: | This paper outlines four primary functions of the political organisation of space—participation, representation, service delivery and control It argues that there are inherent conflicts in the maximisation of these functions and that political geographers have paid insufficient attention to the degree to which territoriality implies a pre-eminence of the control function. It is suggested that a ‘reformist’ conception of political geography is necessary in order to evaluate the extent to which this actually occurs and to make the sub-discipline more policy relevant. |
