Books

Atlas of Finance: Mapping the Global Story of Money

Authors: Wójcik, D., Iliopoulos, P., Ioannou, S., Keenan, L., Migozzi, J., Monteath, T., Pažitka, V., Urban, M., Torrance, M., Chesire, J., & Uberti, O.

Description: A unique illustrated exploration of the development of finance that combines data from every part of the world and covers five thousand years of history. From the emergence of money in the ancient world to today’s interconnected landscape of high-frequency trading and cryptocurrency, the story of finance has always taken place on an international stage. This volume, the first visually based book dedicated to finance, uses graphics and maps to bring the complex and abstract world of finance down to earth, showing how geography is fundamental for understanding finance, and vice versa. 

Order:  Yale University Press | Amazon | Standaard Boekhandel 

Atlas of Finance: An innovative publication that brings money and finance to life with maps, data visualizations and stories!

It is true that finance and money have long been shrouded in mystery, surrounded by complex terms and concepts like interest rates, bonds, inflation and credit swaps. From insurance and trade to central banks controlling monetary policy, and from hidden offshore accounts to everyday banknotes and coins, the financial world seems remote and opaque. Yet, it shapes our daily lives in profound ways.

So why all the mystery around finance? Why all this fuzz around money, something so small in size but so vast in power?  With the Atlas of Finance (Yale University Press), we aim to lift the veil of mystery and complexity, making the world of finance understandable and approachable. Using one of the oldest and simplest tools of human civilization – the map – we demystify the realities and functions of financial instruments and process, revealing their true significance.

Yes, maps! Through stunning cartography, we place money and finance on the map to tell a bigger story: one of human development, innovation and adventure. We visualize the past, the present and the future of economies and societies, forged by the movements of financial assets. From local cities to entire countries, finance shapes our urban landscapes and our everyday lives. The Atlas lets us explore these effects, highlighting the connections between people, communities, institutions, nations, and ideas.

But there’s more. We also put stories on the map - stories of how financial innovations have helped solve practical problems across history (accounting, insurance, trade, investment, etc.); stories that illuminate the agony of our generation to respond to climate change, the housing crisis, and widening inequalities, underscoring how finance continuous to shape our world.

Who are we, you may ask? The Atlas of Finance is the result of an incredible collaboration between geographers, economists, designers, cartographers, made possible by funding from the ERC CityNet project (https://www.citynet21.org/). The team includes: Dariusz Wojcik (National University of Singapore), James Cheshire (UCL), Oliver Uberti (https://www.oliveruberti.com/), Stefanos Ioannou (Oxford Brookes University), Vladimir Pazitka (University of Leeds), Michael Urban, Takis Iliopoulos (KU Leuven), Liam Keenan (University of Nottingham), Julien Migozzi (University of Oxford), Timothy Monteath (University of Warwick), and Morag Torrance (University of Oxford).

The book is available online through Yale University Press: https://atlasoffinance.com/

19/09/2024 - Panagiotis (Takis) Iliopoulos