Abstract
This chapter assesses the geography and politics nexus as embodied in geopolitics and appraises conflict and its resolution, war and peace. The place, space and time geopolitical frameworks for analyses, geographical scales and places and their interconnections are reviewed. Geopolitical approaches spanning the range from traditional schools of thought to critical geopolitics are referenced. Territory disputed can range from a few square meters regarding areas on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, to thousands of square kilometres as with power standoffs in the South China Sea. Borders, boundaries and polity are expressed in multi-faceted ways as exemplified by walls, public squares and symbolic places. Analyses of interactions between territory and people in place and time contexts is imperative for sustainable planning and positive action to take place. Territoriality and territorialisation are fundamental concepts linked to location—indicated by natural, human and political geographical coordinates. The plotting of maps, GIS and Big Data are vital for the humanitarian community, as is awareness of the sources, selection of data types, and intended images.
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Notes
- 1.
Spencer (1988).
- 2.
Encyclopaedia Britannica. Geopolitics. By: Daniel H. Deudney. https://www.britannica.com/topic/geopolitics.
Encyclopaedia Britannica. Halford Mackinder. By: Gerald Roe Crone https://www.britannica.com/biography/Halford-Mackinder#ref96519.
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Core and Periphery: Economic Model of the World. Slide Show. https://slideplayer.com/slide/7459982/.
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Council on Foreign Relations, USA. Global Conflict Tracker. https://www.cfr.org/interactives/global-conflict-tracker#!/global-conflict-tracker.
- 6.
YouTube: Material available:
What is GEOPOLITICS? (Audiopedia). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMIrz6sUJPI.
Geopolitics: A Brief Introduction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg7d0TPoLgw.
Geopolitics for Dummies (American Patriot53). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea-Q7-3gV-U.
Leading contemporary researchers in Geopolitics include:
Vladimir Kolosov: see http://www.igras.ru/en/staff/67.
John O’Loughlin: see https://www.colorado.edu/ibs/intdev/johno/pubs.html.
Gerard Toal (Gearóid Ó Tuathail): see https://www.toal.org/.
Books: Toal and Dahlman (2011), Tuathail et al. (2006), Agnew et al. (2004), Dalby and Tuathail (1998), Tuathail et al. (1998), O’Loughlin et al. (2011), Kolossov and O’Loughlin (2011), Kolossov and Zotova (2011), Kolossov (2011).
- 7.
Some notable thinkers in critical geopolitics, especially in the English-speaking world include: John A. Agnew (UCLA), Simon Dalby (BSIA, Ontario), Derek Gregory (University of British Colombia, Vancouver), Klaus Dodds (Royal Holloway, University of London), John O’Loughlin (University of Colorado, Boulder, USA), Gearóid Ó’Tuathail (Gerry Toal) (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA), and Vladimir Kolosov (Russian Academy of Science, Institute of Geography).
See Classical Geopolitics: A summary of key thinkers and theories from the classical period of geopolitics. http://www.energeopolitics.com/about/classical-geopolitics-a-summary-of-key-thinkers-and-theories-from-the-classical-period-ofgeopolitics/.
Geoffrey Sloan. Geopolitics. Foreign Affairs. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2009-03-12/what-read-geopolitics.
Geopolitical Approach Number Two—Critical Geopolitics. The International Relations and Security Network. 30 November 2011. http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Articles/Special-Feature/Detail/?lng=en&id=134546&contextid774=134546&contextid775=134545&tabid=1451529700.
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Inside The World’s Biggest Slums (Documentary) | Kibera, Neza, Dharavi and More https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svVCgv_Zi-Q.
UN Habitat. Slums of the World. http://mirror.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=1124&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1.
Habitat for Humanity. 7 February 2017. The World’s Largest Slums: Dharavi, Kibera, Khayelitsha and Neza. https://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/news/blog/17/2/7/worlds-largest-slums.
- 9.
History of the Earth. http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/history_of_the_earth.
- 10.
Daesh’s Gender-Based Crimes against Yazidi Women and Girls Include Genocide in Global Justice Centre: Human Rights Through Rule of Law. http://globaljusticecenter.net/files/CounterTerrorismTalkingPoints.4.7.2016.pdf.
- 11.
Global Conflict Tracker. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/interactives/global-conflict-tracker#!/conflict/territorial-disputes-in-the-south-china-sea.
- 12.
William Zartman (2016).
Casamance Conflict. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCy2kWYhWXs.
- 13.
El Instituto de Estadística de Cataluna (Idescat). 2018. https://www.idescat.cat/?lang=es.
CIA World Factbook. Kosovo. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kv.html.
- 14.
BBC News. Iraq has declared Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone open to the public for the first time in 12 years. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34439899.
- 15.
SW Institute for the Study of War. ISAF Regional Command South. 2010 POLITICS AND POWER IN KANDAHAR. http://www.understandingwar.org/report/politics-and-power-kandahar.
NATO and Afghanistan. 16 July 2018. https://www.nato.int/cps/ic/natohq/topics_8189.htm.
- 16.
Michel Foucher.
Le retour des frontières. Paris: CNRS Editions, 2016
L’Obsession des frontières. Paris: Tempus Perrin, 2012.
L’Europe entre géopolitiques et géographies. Paris: Armand Colin, CNED, SEDES, 2009
See: IBRU (International Boundaries Research Unit). University of Durham. Publications and Newsletter—Borderlines.
See: Hérodote: Revue de géographie et de géopolitique. Paris: La Découverte. A journal of geography and geopolitics that focuses on the analysis of power rivalries in specific territories (a country or regional geographical area) that give rise to conflict and contradictory representations of various protagonists. https://www.cairn-int.info/journal-herodote.htm. Website: http://www.herodote.org/.
- 17.
For a list of current territorial and maritime disputes see: ICJ (International Court of Justice). https://www.icj-cij.org/en/list-of-all-cases.
- 18.
Israel’s hugely controversial “nation-state” law, explained. By Miriam Berger July 31, 2018. https://www.vox.com/world/2018/7/31/17623978/israel-jewish-nation-state-law-bill-explained-apartheid-netanyahu-democracy.
- 19.
BBC News. 6 Feb. 2017. Donald Trump’s Mexico wall: Who is going to pay for it? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37243269.
- 20.
The European Green Belt That Follows the Corridor of the Former Iron Curtain May 4, 2016. https://brilliantmaps.com/european-green-belt/.
- 21.
David T. Zabecki. Hallowed Ground: Field of the Blackbirds, Kosovo. Military History Magazine. http://www.historynet.com/hallowed-ground-field-blackbirds-kosovo.htm.
- 22.
Beyond the riot zone: Why Taksim Square matters to Turks. By Susannah Cullinane, CNN updated 7:27 AM EDT, Fri June 7, 2013. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/07/world/europe/turkey-taksim-square-symbol/index.html.
- 23.
Tiananmen Square Fast Facts. CNN Library. Updated 1645 GMT (0045 HKT) May 27, 2018. https://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/15/world/asia/tiananmen-square-fast-facts/index.html.
- 24.
Mapping Every Disputed Territory In The World. http://metrocosm.com/mapping-every-disputed-territory-in-the-world/.
- 25.
International Office for Migration: Regional Office for the European Economic Area, the EU and NATO http://eea.iom.int/.
- 26.
International Crisis Group. Syria. https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/eastern-mediterranean/syria.
- 27.
Arctic Sovereignty in Foreign Policy. http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/05/07/arctic-sovereignty-a-short-history/.
Territorial Sovereignty in the Arctic: Encyclopedia Arctica 11: Territorial Sovereignty and History. www.collections.dartmouth.edu/arctica-beta/html/EA11-03.html.
Reuters. Jan. 26, 2018 BUSINESS NEWS. China unveils vision for ‘Polar Silk Road’ across Arctic. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-arctic/china-unveils-vision-for-polar-silk-road-across-arctic-idUSKBN1FF0J8.
- 28.
UN Treaties. https://treaties.un.org/.
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O’Reilly, G. (2019). Geopolitics. In: Aligning Geopolitics, Humanitarian Action and Geography in Times of Conflict. Key Challenges in Geography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11398-8_2
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