Assembling the Tropics

This engaging study highlights the emergence of a global geographical concept through the lens of science, culture, and politics in Assembling the Tropics.

In Assembling the Tropics, Hugh Cagle presents an insightful exploration of the intersection of science, culture, and politics within Portugal's empire. The narrative unfolds how a global geographical concept emerged during the early modern period, revealing the unexpected forms that science took in this context. Cagle's accessible prose invites readers to discover the often-overlooked connections between Asia and the Atlantic world, shedding light on the complex interplay of ideas and practices that shaped perceptions of the tropics.

The book delves into the dual nature of the tropics, characterized by both remarkable biodiversity and the prevalence of debilitating illnesses. Cagle argues that this dichotomy was not always the prevailing view, and through engaging storytelling, he illustrates how these perceptions developed over time. By challenging conventional narratives surrounding the Scientific Revolution, Assembling the Tropics redefines the history of the tropics as integral to Europe's first global empire, which began its colonial endeavors in the late fifteenth century.

As readers journey through the pages, they will uncover how the establishment of colonies from sub-Saharan Africa to Southeast Asia and South America facilitated the earliest comparisons of nature and disease. Cagle demonstrates that the colonial approaches to medicine and natural history contributed to the creation of 'the tropics' as a coherent global region, exploring the implications of how places acquire medical significance and how nature and disease become subjects of scientific investigation.