Bio


Martin W. Lewis is a senior lecturer in international history at Stanford University. He graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Studies in 1979, and received a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in geography in 1987. His dissertation, and first book, examined the interplay among economic development, environmental degradation, and cultural change in the highlands of northern Luzon in the Philippines. Subsequently, he turned his attention to issues of global geography, writing (with Karen Wigen) The Myth of Continents: A Critique of Metageography (University of California Press, 1997). He is also the co-author of a world geography textbook, Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development (Prentice Hall), and is the former associate editor of The Geographical Review. Martin W. Lewis taught at the George Washington University and then at Duke University, where he was co-director of the program in Comparative Area Studies, before coming to Stanford University in the fall of 2002. He writes on current events and issues of global geography and at GeoCurrents.info.

Academic Appointments


  • Staff Emeritus Retiree, History

Administrative Appointments


  • Senior Lecturer, Department of History, Stanford University (2006 - Present)
  • Lecturer, International Relations, International Policy Studies, and History, Stanford University (2002 - 2006)
  • Interim Director, International Relations, Stanford University (2004 - 2005)
  • Interim Director, International Relations, Stanford University (2005 - 2006)
  • Research Professor, Geography, Duke University (2001 - 2002)
  • Co-Director, Program in Comparative Area Studies, Duke University (2001 - 2002)
  • Associate Research Professor, Geography, Duke University (1995 - 2001)
  • Co-Director, Program in Comparative Area Studies, Duke University (1995 - 2001)
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1994 - 1995)
  • Assistant Professor, School of the Environment and Center for International Studies, Duke University (1993 - 1994)
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and Regional Science, The George Washington University (1988 - 1993)

Honors & Awards


  • Award for Best New Textbook, Humanities and Social Sciences, Text and Academic Authors Association (2001)
  • Nomination for the Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, Duke University (1999 - 2000)
  • Nomination for the Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, Duke University (1996 - 1997)
  • Nomination for the Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, Duke University (1993 - 1994)
  • Certificate of Appreciation in Recognition of Service, International Geographical Congress, Washington D.C. (1992)
  • Certificate of Appreciation in Recognition of Outstanding Contribution, To the University Community, Student Association of The George Washington University (1990)
  • Junior Faculty Incentive Award, The George Washington University (1990)
  • Fulbright Fellowship, Institute for International Education (1985 - 1986)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations


  • Member, Undergraduate Studies Committee, Department of History, Stanford University (2009 - 2011)
  • Premajor Advisor, Stanford University (2008 - 2010)
  • Organizer, Initiative in World History, Department of History, Stanford University (2008)
  • Associate Director, Program in International Policy Studies, Stanford University (2006 - 2007)
  • Interim Director, Programs in International Relations (2004 - 2006)
  • Interim Director, Program in International Policy Studies, Stanford University (2004 - 2006)
  • Member, Admissions Committee, Program in International Policy Studies, Stanford University (2003 - 2006)
  • Organizer, Stanford University International Relations and International Policy Studies Conference on International NGOs: Perspectives on Building Global Civil Society (2005 - 2005)
  • Faculty Advisor, International Relations, Stanford University (2002)
  • Co-Director, Program in Comparative Area Studies, Duke University (1997 - 2002)
  • Co-Director, Ford-Foundation Funded Program to Revitalize Area Studies at Duke University (1997 - 2002)
  • Member, Advisory Committee, Title VI Center for International Studies (2000 - 2002)
  • Member, International Affairs Advisory Committee, Duke University (1998 - 2002)
  • Advisor, Environmental Sciences and Policy Undergraduate Program (1998 - 2002)
  • Member, Undergraduate Travel Awards Committee, Center for International Studies (1998 - 2002)
  • Member, Study Abroad Committee, Duke University (1997 - 2002)
  • Member, Fulbright Fellowship Committee, Duke University (1996 - 2002)
  • Co-Director, International Workshop: "Oceans Connect: Mapping a New Global Scholarship" (Held at Duke University) (1998 - 1998)
  • Member, Steering Committee for Comparative Area Studies, Duke University (1996 - 1997)
  • Member, Steering Committee for Comparative Area Studies, Duke University (1993 - 1994)
  • Pre-Major Advisor, Duke University (1996 - 1997)
  • Pre-Major Advisor, Duke University (1993 - 1994)
  • Undergraduate Advisor, Comparative Area Studies, Duke University (1996)
  • Undergraduate Advisor, Comparative Area Studies, Duke University (1993 - 1994)
  • Undergraduate Advisor, Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1994 - 1995)
  • Faculty Senator, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1994 - 1995)
  • Member, Committee on Individual Majors, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1994 - 1995)
  • Undergraduate Advisor, Department of Geography and Regional Science, The George Washington University (1989 - 1993)
  • Member, Committee for the Establishment of a Master's Program, Department of Geography and Regional Science, George Washington University (1988 - 1989)
  • Representative, American Geographical Society for the annual Geography Bowl competition (2004 - 2006)
  • Geography consultant, Mental Floss magazine (2003 - 2007)
  • Member, Exploratory committee on "Inter-Asian Connections," Social Science Research Council, New York (2002 - 2003)
  • Associate Editor, The Geographical Review (1996 - 2001)
  • Area Director, Southeast Asia. Asian Studies Specialty Group, Association of American Geographers (1996 - 1998)
  • Member, Planning Committee for the Conference, "The Flight from Reason and Science." New York Academy of Sciences (1994 - 1994)
  • Member, Travel Grant Committee of the International Geographic Congress (1991 - 1991)
  • Member, Teller's Committee of the Association of American Geographers (1991 - 1991)
  • Referee, Journal manuscripts for Annals of the Association of American Geographers
  • Referee, Geographical Review
  • Referee, Economic Geography
  • Referee, Human Organization
  • Referee, Education about Asia
  • Referee, Progress in Human Geography
  • Referee, Isis
  • Referee, Journal of Asian Studies
  • Referee, Cultural Geographies
  • Referee, Perspectives on Politics
  • Referee, Grant proposals for the National Science Foundation
  • Referee, Book manuscripts for Duke University Press
  • Referee, Johns Hopkins University Press
  • Referee, The University of Nevada Press
  • Referee, The Syracuse University Press
  • Referee, Book prospectus for the University of California Press
  • Referee, Book prospectus for the Oxford University Press
  • Tenure Referee, University of ldaho
  • Tenure Referee, The George Washington University
  • PhD examiner, Murdoch University (Perth, Australia)
  • PhD examiner, University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia)

Professional Education


  • Bachelor of Arts, University of California, Santa Cruz, Environmental Studies (1979)
  • Master of Arts, University of California, Berkeley, Geography (1985)
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of California, Berkeley, Geography (1987)

All Publications


  • Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World Rowntree, L., Price, M., Wyckoff, W., Lewis, M. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2013
  • The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2012; 29 (1): 88-?
  • The Contours of America's Cold War. (Book Review) AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2012; 117 (2): 553-554
  • Green urban revival The Agile City: Building Well-Being and Wealth in an Era of Climate Change (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2011; 28 (1): 88-91
  • The Myth of Continents: A Critique of Metageography Lewis, M., Wigen, K. Shanghai People's Press. 2011
  • Geographies The Oxford Handbook of World History Lewis, M. edited by Bentley, J. Oxford University Press. 2011
  • Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development Rowntree, L., Price, M., Wyckoff, W., Lewis, M. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2011
  • The Climate War: True Believers, Power Brokers, and the Fight to Save the Earth (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2011; 27 (2): 91-94
  • Bottled and Sold: The History Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W., Gleick, P. H. 2010; 27 (1): 85-?
  • Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World Rowntree, L., Price, M., Wyckoff, W., Lewis, M. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2010
  • The Rising Sea (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2010; 26 (2): 85-?
  • Geographical Ignorance Encyclopedia of Geography Lewis, M. edited by Warf, B. 2010
  • Europe Between the Oceans: 9000 BC-AD 1000 The International History Review Lewis, M. 2009; 31 (3): 590 - 591
  • Where is Asia? What is the Pacific?: The Politics and Practice of Global Division Remaking Area Studies: New Perspectives on Learning Asia Pacific Lewis, M. edited by Wesley-Smith, T., Goss, J. University of Hawaii Press. 2009
  • Global catastrophes and trends: The next fifty years (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. 2008; 25 (1): 91-?
  • A hundred horizons: The Indian ocean in the age of global empire (Book Review) GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2008; 98 (2): 306-308
  • Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World Rowntree, L., Price, M., Wyckoff, W., Lewis, M. 2008
  • Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development Rowntree, L., Price, M., Wyckoff, W., Lewis, M. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2008
  • The unnatural history of the sea (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2007; 24 (1): 91-?
  • The revenge of Gaia: Earth's climate in crisis and the fate of humanity (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2007; 23 (2): 81-84
  • Cities in the wilderness: A new vision of land use in America (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2006; 22 (3): 87-89
  • Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development Rowntree, L., Price, M., Wyckoff, W., Lewis, M. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2006
  • The new consumers: The influence of affluence on the environment (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2005; 21 (2): 90-92
  • Red sky at morning: America and the crisis of the global environment (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2004; 20 (4): 79-81
  • American empire: Roosevelt's geographer and the prelude to globalization. (Book Review) AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2004; 109 (2): 554-554
  • On Human Connectedness with Nature Intersections Lewis, M. edited by Littleton, M. J. MA: Tapestry Press. 2004
  • Cartography Berkshire Encyclopedia of World History Lewis, M. edited by McNeill, W. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing. 2004
  • Geography and Culture Condensed Knowledge Lewis, M. edited by Pearson, W., Hattikuder, M., Hunt, E. 2004: 107–128
  • Geographical Constructions Berkshire Encyclopedia of World History Lewis, M. edited by McNeill, W. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing. 2004
  • Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World Rowntree, L., Price, M., Wyckoff, W., Lewis, M. 2004
  • Cultural and Geographical Areas Berkshire Encyclopedia of World History Lewis, M. edited by McNeill, W. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing. 2004
  • Beyond earth day: Fulfilling the promise (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2003; 19 (3): 98-100
  • Asian Geography Geography in America at the Dawn of the 21st Century Shrestha, N., Cohen, S., McDonald, M., Lewis, M. edited by Gaile, G. L., Willmott, C. J. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2003: 618–657
  • Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development Rowntree, L., Price, M., Wyckoff, W., Lewis, M. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2003
  • The geographical imagination in America, 1880-1950. (Book Review) AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2002; 107 (1): 226-226
  • Struggles over geography: Violence, freedom and development at the millennium (The Hettner lecture 1999) (Book Review) JOURNAL OF PEASANT STUDIES Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2001; 28 (4): 178-180
  • This sovereign land: A new vision for governing the West (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2001; 17 (4): 77-81
  • Global ignorance GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Lewis, M. W. 2000; 90 (4): 603-628
  • Defending illusions: Federal protection of ecosystems. (Book Review) PROFESSIONAL GEOGRAPHER Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 2000; 52 (3): 572-573
  • Third Worldism or Globalism? Reply to James M. Blaut's review of The 'Myth of Continents' JOURNAL OF WORLD HISTORY Lewis, M. W., Wigen, K. E. 2000; 11 (1): 81-92
  • The Water World: Maritime Basins as Global Architects Ubique: Notes from the American Geographical Society Lewis, M. 2000; 20: 1 - 2
  • Earth Rising Issues in Science and Technology Lewis, M. 2000; 17: 75 - 77
  • Undue Risk: Secret State Experiments on Humans Issues in Science and Technology Lewis, M. 2000; 16: 82 - 84
  • The Land That Could Be Issues in Science and Technology Shutkin, W. 2000; 17: 75 - 77
  • Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development Rowntree, L., Price, M., Wyckoff, W., Lewis, M. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2000
  • Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth Century World The Geographical Review Lewis, M. 2000; 90: 147 - 149
  • Is There a Third World? Response to Paul Mack Current History Lewis, M. 2000
  • Toward a self-critical environmentalism POLITICS AND THE LIFE SCIENCES Lewis, M. W. 1999; 18 (2): 229-231
  • Dividing the ocean sea GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Lewis, M. W. 1999; 89 (2): 188-214
  • A maritime response to the crisis in area studies GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Lewis, M. W., Wigen, K. 1999; 89 (2): 161-168
  • The promise and peril of environmental justice (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1999; 15 (3): 88-90
  • Is There a Third World? Current History Lewis, M. 1999; 98 (631): 355 - 358
  • Hearts and Minds: Author's Response Metascience Lewis, M. 1998; 7 (1): 39 - 45
  • The Flight from Science and Reason Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences edited by Gross, P. R., Levitt, N., Lewis, M. John Hopkins University Press. 1997
  • The Myth of Continents: A Critique of Metageography Lewis, M., Wigen, K. University of California Press. 1997
  • The betrayal of science and reason: How anti-environmental rhetoric threatens our future - Ehrlich,PR, Ehrlich,AE (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. 1997; 13 (2): 82-84
  • The Flight from Science and Reason. Proceedings of a conference. New York, New York, USA. May 31-June 2, 1995. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1996; 775: 1-593

    View details for PubMedID 9729209

  • The causes of tropical deforestation: The economic and statistical analysis of factors giving rise to the loss of the tropical forests - Brown,K, Pearce,DW (Book Review) GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1996; 86 (1): 131-133
  • Radical environmental philosophy and the assault on reason New-York-Academy-of-Sciences Conference on the Flight from Science to Reason Lewis, M. W. NEW YORK ACAD SCIENCES. 1996: 209–230
  • But is it true? A citizen's guide to environmental health and safety issues - Wildavsky,A (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1996; 12 (2): 77-?
  • PLUNDERING PARADISE - THE STRUGGLE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES - BROAD,R, CAVANAGH,J (Book Review) ANNALS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1995; 85 (3): 591-593
  • Environmental History Challenges the Myth of a Primordial Eden Worldly Words: American Nature Writing for Students of English Lewis, M. edited by Slovic, S. Tokyo: Fumikura Press. 1995
  • IN THE NATURE OF THINGS - LANGUAGE, POLITICS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT - BENNETT,J, CHALOUPKA,W (Book Review) ANNALS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1994; 84 (3): 514-516
  • FORCING THE SPRING - THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT - GOTTLIEB,R (Book Review) ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1994; 10 (4): 80-84
  • Environmental History Challenges the Myth of a Primordial Eden Chronicle of Higher Education Lewis, M. 1994: A56
  • Environmental History Challenges the Myth of a Primordial Eden Journal of Geological Education Lewis, M. 1994
  • RICH FORESTS, POOR PEOPLE - RESOURCE CONTROL AND RESISTANCE IN JAVA - PELUSO,NL (Book Review) ANNALS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1993; 83 (4): 738-740
  • ON HUMAN CONNECTEDNESS WITH NATURE + ECOLOGICAL ANTHROPOCENTRISM IN CONFLICT WITH RAMPANT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSUMPTION, AN EXAMINATION OF NATURAL VERSUS SYNTHETIC ECOSYSTEMS NEW LITERARY HISTORY Lewis, M. W. 1993; 24 (4): 797-809
  • ON READING CULTURAL-GEOGRAPHY - REPLY ANNALS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS Price, M., Lewis, M. 1993; 83 (3): 520-522
  • THE REINVENTION OF CULTURAL-GEOGRAPHY ANNALS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS Price, M., Lewis, M. 1993; 83 (1): 1-17
  • The Green Threat to Nature: An Eco-Critique of Radical Environmentalism Elmwood Quarterly Lewis, M. 1993: 26 - 32
  • DEFORESTATION IN THE POSTWAR PHILIPPINES - KUMMER,DM (Book Review) GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1993; 83 (1): 95-98
  • BIODIVERSITY - SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES - SHIVA,V (Book Review) JOURNAL OF ASIAN STUDIES Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1992; 51 (4): 871-872
  • THE CITY AS TEXT - THE POLITICS OF LANDSCAPE INTERPRETATION IN THE KANDYAN KINGDOM - DUNCAN,JS (Book Review) GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1992; 82 (3): 349-351
  • AGRICULTURAL REGIONS IN THE PHILIPPINE CORDILLERA GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Lewis, M. W. 1992; 82 (1): 29-42
  • Soil Erosion in a Coastal River Basin Pilipinas Lewis, M. 1992; 18: 97 - 98
  • Green Delusions: An Environmentalist Critique of Radical Environmentalism Lewis, M. Durham: Duke University Press. 1992
  • Rainforest Politics: Ecological Destruction in South-East Asia Geographical Review Lewis, M. 1992; 82 (1): 94 - 96
  • The Green Threat to Nature: An Eco-Critique of Radical Environmentalism Harper's Lewis, M. 1992: 26 - 32
  • Wagering the Land: Ritual, Capital, and Environmental Degradation in the Cordillera of Northern Luzon. 1900-1986 Lewis, M. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. 1992
  • ELUSIVE SOCIETIES - A REGIONAL-CARTOGRAPHICAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF HUMAN RELATEDNESS ANNALS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS Lewis, M. W. 1991; 81 (4): 605-626
  • PARADISE FOUND AND LOST, VOL 3, OF THE PACIFIC SINCE MAGELLAN - SPATE,OHK (Book Review) GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1990; 80 (2): 201-202
  • COMMERCIALIZATION AND COMMUNITY LIFE - THE GEOGRAPHY OF MARKET EXCHANGE IN A SMALL-SCALE PHILIPPINE SOCIETY ANNALS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS Lewis, M. W. 1989; 79 (3): 390-410
  • SOUTHEAST-ASIA IN THE AGE OF COMMERCE, 1450-1680, VOL 1, THE LANDS BELOW THE WINDS - REID,A (Book Review) GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lewis, M. W. 1989; 79 (3): 385-387