Political Geography

July 15 – 26

Online/In-person

Language: English

The course addresses the complex interaction of geographical and institutional factors of development.

Why can’t any specialist name the exact number of countries in the world? How did the laws of hydroaeromechanics make the Spaniards leaders in the colonial race of the XV century? What are the no-man’s-lands and why would you not want to go there? How are the closing of land bridge across the Bering Strait and the genocide of American Indians related? Why is Moscow (suddenly) a normal capital city? How are the Industrial Revolution and strong Labor support in North Wales related? Political geography provides answers to these and many other unexpected questions.

Aleksei Sorbale

Associate Professor: HSE Campus in St. Petersburg / Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences and Area Studies / Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Course Description

We will look at how geographical location influences prosperity, what is the impact of institutions, how institutions are affected by geography, and how institutions and geography interplay with each other.

Why Choose This Course?

This course is built on three pillars. The first pillar is theoretical: it illuminates the basic theories underlying political geography as a science. The second pillar contains the practical skills of geospatial analysis. The third pillar is built around the study of the modern political map, as well as the history and logic of changes of the main components of the map. Such a conglomeration allows students to obtain the most relevant and substantial knowledge and skills related to the complex world of political geography.

Content

Topic 1. Introduction to political geography Assumptions of political geography. Structure of political space. Political-Territorial organisation and its elements.

Topic 2. Global geopolitical systems Geopolitical systems and its types: binary, ternary, concentric, polar. Great and regional powers. Civilisations.

Topic 3. Parts of the World, macro- and meso-regions Parts of the World. Macro-regions. Trans-continental states. Meso-regions of the World.

Topic 4. Integration associations Theories of integration. Regional integration projects. Integration systems and subsystems. Meso- and transregionalism.

Topic 5. States Statism. States' appearance and evolution. Historical forms of states. Forms of government. Sovereignty. State capacity.

Topic 6. Properties of the state territory Political-geographical position. State's size and form. Territorial corridors. Sea access and island position. Enclaves and exclaves.

Topic 7. Composition of the state territory Territory. Water area. Air area. Litology. Types of territorial changes.

Topic 8. International territories The open sea. International seabed area. Open air space. Outer space and celestial bodies. Arctic. Antarctic. International straits. International sea channels. International rivers and lakes. Buffer zones. Provisional administrations. Free territories. No Man's Territories.

Topic 9. Dependent territories Imperialism, colonialism and decolonisation. Suzerainty. Mandate territories. Protectorates. Incorporation and non-incorporation. Limitrophic states.

Topic 10. Capitals and centres Geographic centre. Pole of inaccessibility. Zipf's law. Metropolitanity. Multi-metropolitanity. Quasi-metropolitanity. Capital ratio. Hypertrophy and hypotrophy of the capitals. Typology of capitals.

Topic 11. Borders and demarcations Separation lines. Limology. Delimitation and demarcation. Limes, limitrophes and frontiers. Demarcation lines. Electoral geography.

Topic 12. Regions and municipalities Administrative-territorial division. Unitarism and federalism. Supraregions and subregions.

Topic 13. Spatial identity Influence of the geographical factors on Identity.

Skills and Competence

• conceptualises political-territorial space

• uses the tools of geospatial analysis in order to explain the differentiation in the states' international positioning

• knows the political map of the world • understands the essential difference between the layers of the political map of the world

• knows the origins of statism and states in different parts of the world

• assesses the geographical position of a state based on the characteristics of its size, form and access to land and sea resources

• knows the logic and difference between the types of territorial changes

• analyses the effectiveness of geographical positioning of capitals via specific calculation tools

Teaching Methods

Lectures, practices.

Prerequisites

No specific prerequisites are assumed for the class.

Final Assessment

Essay.

Final Grade Background

In-class participation, practical work, essay.

Course is taught by

Dr. Aleksei B. Sorbale.