Halford Mackinder

Sir Halford Mackinder
Member of Parliament
for Glasgow Camlachie
In office
15 January 1910 – 15 November 1922
Preceded byAlexander Cross
Succeeded byCampbell Stephen
Personal details
BornHalford John Mackinder
(1861-02-15)15 February 1861
Gainsborough, England
Died6 March 1947(1947-03-06) (aged 86)
PartyConservative
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford
Known for"The Geographical Pivot of History"
AwardsCharles P. Daly Medal (1943)
Scientific career
Fields

Sir Halford John Mackinder (15 February 1861 – 6 March 1947) was a British geographer, academic and politician, who is regarded as one of the founding fathers of both geopolitics and geostrategy. He is considered to have introduced the terms "manpower" and "heartland" into the English language. He was the first Principal of University Extension College, Reading (which became the University of Reading) from 1892 to 1903, and Director of the London School of Economics from 1903 to 1908. Initially a liberal and free market proponent, he shifted to support a protectionist and conservative view from 1903. While continuing his academic career part-time, he was also the Conservative and Unionist Member of Parliament for Glasgow Camlachie from 1910 to 1922. From 1923, he was Professor of Geography at the London School of Economics.