Political Geography 20 (2001) 635–658 www.politicalgeography.com Technogeopolitics and the struggle for control of world air routes, 1910–1928 David L. Butler * Department of Geography, University of Cincinnati, PO Box 210131, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0131, USA Abstract This paper introduces and encourages the use of technogeopolitics, the recursive relationship between technology and geopolitics, as a lens for analysis. Through this lens the paper exam- ines the role of Britain, the United States, Germany and France at three international aerial conferences held in 1910, 1919 and 1928. At these conferences, the four nations’ geopolitical positions are strongly inﬂuenced by each nation’s current level of aviation technology. Simi- larly, the level of technology each nation has developed at each conference is representative of the nation’s choice to invest, or not invest, in aviation technology, creating a technogeopolitical relationship. Key issues at each conference revolve around the concepts of aerial sovereignty and freedom of the air, the inclusion and exclusion of nations from aerial trading blocs, cross- Atlantic aerial relationships and the rise of US commercial air power in the Western Hemi- sphere reﬂecting each nation’s attempt to assume control of the air in particular geographical regions around the world, usually at the expense of other nations.  2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Technogeopolitics; Technology; Geopolitics; Sovereignty; Aviation; International conference Aviation must be considered from an international standpoint. An ability to cover great distances in a relatively short time makes it a leading factor in world intercourse. Every advance in transportation has stimulated commerce and brought people into closer contact with each other. One after another the fears and prejudices of isolation have been overcome as methods of communication and transport * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-513-556-3421; fax: +1-513-556-3370. E-mail address: butlerdv@email.uc.edu (D.L. Butler). 0962-6298/01/$ - see front matter  2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII:S0962-6298(01)00006-3