After working through some (mainly physical) difficulties, I'm trying to wrap up this piece on the borders of South Dakota, and will do so quite soon. Later in the spring I will present a paper based on the chapter, the paper appearing under the title, "Borderline (Not): The Logic of South Dakota's Borders." Here's the abstract:
"Counterfactualists love to second-guess the establishment of the borders of South Dakota. The borders are, in the first place, uninteresting, delineating just another generally-rectangular state of the Great Plains. Moreover, they do not conform to salient landforms or vernacular geography; they seem arbitrary. Such judgments stand only in the absence of historical investigation and the ignorance of historical precedents. Investigated in context, the borders of South Dakota emerge as logical and sensible according to the knowledge and aspirations of the people of Dakota Territory. Moreover, such investigation goes to more fundamental questions: the definition of a state (as distinct from a region) and the chronicling of its history."
Anyway, that's the update on the question, "What are you currently working on?" I'll write more about this in my Goodreads blog, "Willow Creek."
"Counterfactualists love to second-guess the establishment of the borders of South Dakota. The borders are, in the first place, uninteresting, delineating just another generally-rectangular state of the Great Plains. Moreover, they do not conform to salient landforms or vernacular geography; they seem arbitrary. Such judgments stand only in the absence of historical investigation and the ignorance of historical precedents. Investigated in context, the borders of South Dakota emerge as logical and sensible according to the knowledge and aspirations of the people of Dakota Territory. Moreover, such investigation goes to more fundamental questions: the definition of a state (as distinct from a region) and the chronicling of its history."
Anyway, that's the update on the question, "What are you currently working on?" I'll write more about this in my Goodreads blog, "Willow Creek."