Lost geographers: power games and the circulation of ideas within Francophone political geographies

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   This paper takes a reflexive look at the production of scientific^ discourses by exploring the context and practice^ of political geography within the Francophone ^world. This article builds on the idea that the fundamental^ difference between Anglo and Francophone geographies^ relates to how theoretical writings and texts^ circulate, rather than to fundamental differences of content^ or topic. It examines how certain texts, ideas^ and thinkers have circulated, suggesting in ^particular that it is timely to reconsider Claude Raffestin's^ contributions on power, territory and territoriality.^ It argues that his critical theoretical framework,^ inspired by a number of authors including Michel Foucault, Henri^ Lefebvre and Luis Prieto, has been overlooked^ by Francophone and Anglo geographers for a number^ of institutional, conceptual and personal factors. By focusing^ on institutional structure, the nature of the^ academy and styles of debate in the Francophone^ world, and in
   confronting Claude Raffestin to both John Allen^ and Yves Lacoste's geographies of power, this^ paper questions the divide between these two ^academic traditions.^

   Key Words: boundaries • Francophone geography • knowledge production • Yves Lacoste • political geography • power • Claude Raffestin • territory