Kuus, Merje
Merje Kuus' research focuses on political geography and geopolitics-particularly on policy-making processes in complex bureaucratic structures. In broad terms, it investigates how political practices are underpinned by spatially defined categories like center and margin, inside and outside, self and other. These categories are central to the processes by which complex political issues come to be defined and managed in a particular manner. Within that problematic, Dr. Kuus' interests converge on the question of how specifically spatial categories function in daily politics at various sites-for example, within foreign policy bureaucracies. By virtue of her ‘regional' expertise, Dr. Kuus is also keenly interested in the ways in which places and regions are ‘written onto' our mental maps on a daily basis.
Listing Details
Current position(s), Institution
Professor, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia
Fields of expertise
Political geography and geopolitics
Security and state sovereignty
Policy processes
Borders
Identity and nationalism
Security and state sovereignty
Policy processes
Borders
Identity and nationalism
Research Groups
Projects relevant to the cluster
“How to Bound Open Spaces: Borders and Security in the European Neighbourhood Policy”. This three year project investigates the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), a European Union policy designed to project EU influence beyond its external borders. That policy is animated by a key political dynamic of our day—the pursuit of tight borders that close off space in an effort to secure it, simultaneously with attempts to forge open and inclusive spaces that facilitate cross-border flows of goods, people, and ideas.
Publications related to European/EU Studies
Books
Kuus, M. (2014) Geopolitics and Expertise: Knowledge and Authority in European Diplomacy, Wiley-Blackwell.
Kuus, M. (2007). Geopolitics reframed security and identity in Europe's eastern enlargement. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Articles
Kuus, M. (2021, online early) ‘Political Geography III: Bounding the International’. Third of three progress reports on political geography. Progress in Human Geography
Kuus, M. (2020) ‘Europe’s future depends on perspective not policy’. New Perspectives 28 (issue TBD): 1-5. Essay based on Keynote Address 1B at the Hamburg (Insecurity) Sessions, 21 November 2019.
Kuus, M. (2020) ‘Regulatory power and region-making in the Arctic: China and the European Union’ (Euro commentary). European Urban and Regional Studies.
Kuus, M. (2019) ‘The terroir of bureaucratic practice: Everyday life and scholarly method in the study of policy’, Environment & Planning C: Politics & Space, 2019, 37(4) 617–633:
Kuus, M. (2014) Geopolitics and Expertise: Knowledge and Authority in European Diplomacy, Wiley-Blackwell.
Kuus, M. (2007). Geopolitics reframed security and identity in Europe's eastern enlargement. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Articles
Kuus, M. (2021, online early) ‘Political Geography III: Bounding the International’. Third of three progress reports on political geography. Progress in Human Geography
Kuus, M. (2020) ‘Europe’s future depends on perspective not policy’. New Perspectives 28 (issue TBD): 1-5. Essay based on Keynote Address 1B at the Hamburg (Insecurity) Sessions, 21 November 2019.
Kuus, M. (2020) ‘Regulatory power and region-making in the Arctic: China and the European Union’ (Euro commentary). European Urban and Regional Studies.
Kuus, M. (2019) ‘The terroir of bureaucratic practice: Everyday life and scholarly method in the study of policy’, Environment & Planning C: Politics & Space, 2019, 37(4) 617–633:
Institution
University of British Columbia, Department of Geography
Department Phone Number
604-822-3443
E-mail
Website
Other important publications
Books
Dodds, K., Kuus, M., & Sharp, J. P. (2013). The Ashgate research companion to critical geopolitics. Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate.
Articles
Kuus, M. (2020) “Professions and their expertise: charting the spaces of ‘elite’ occupations”. Progress in Human Geography.
Kuus, M. (2020) ‘Toward the geopolitics of geoeconomic ideas’. In ‘Reading Geopolitics of the Knowledge-Based Economy by Sami Moisio’ (review forum). Political Geography
Kuus, M. (2020, in press) ‘Powerful and Elite Subjects’. In J. Darling and H. Wilson (ed.). Research Ethics for Human Geography: A Handbook for Students.
Kuus, M. (2020) ‘Political Geography II: Institutions’. Progress Report. Progress in Human Geography 44(1) 119–128. Second of three progress reports on political geography.
Dodds, K., Kuus, M., & Sharp, J. P. (2013). The Ashgate research companion to critical geopolitics. Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate.
Articles
Kuus, M. (2020) “Professions and their expertise: charting the spaces of ‘elite’ occupations”. Progress in Human Geography.
Kuus, M. (2020) ‘Toward the geopolitics of geoeconomic ideas’. In ‘Reading Geopolitics of the Knowledge-Based Economy by Sami Moisio’ (review forum). Political Geography
Kuus, M. (2020, in press) ‘Powerful and Elite Subjects’. In J. Darling and H. Wilson (ed.). Research Ethics for Human Geography: A Handbook for Students.
Kuus, M. (2020) ‘Political Geography II: Institutions’. Progress Report. Progress in Human Geography 44(1) 119–128. Second of three progress reports on political geography.
Education and professional achievements
Doctor of Philosophy, Geography, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA. 1999.
Master of Science, Geography, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA. 1994.
Diploma (equivalent of B.A.), Geography, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. 1992..
Master of Science, Geography, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA. 1994.
Diploma (equivalent of B.A.), Geography, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. 1992..
Courses taught
GEOG 391 - Geography of Europe (undergraduate lecture), GEOG 453 - Political Geographic (undergraduate seminar), GEOG 493 - Contemporary Europe: Identity and Geopolitics (advanced undergraduate lecture), EOG 533 - Political Geography: Territoriality, Identity, Agency (graduate seminar)
Fluent spoken languages
English
Fluent written languages
English
