B019212 - GEOPOLITICS

English

The course will focus on the relationships between space, geography and international politics. It will address classical geopolitical theories and doctrines as well as new approaches to the study of space and politics, including empirical studies of the links between international wars and regime changes; spatial diffusion of conflicts; the social and political consequences of climate change.

Week 1 - Introduction; The birth of "human space" and the creation of the first political entities:

Christian, D. (2011), Maps of Time: An Introduction to Big History. Berkeley, University of California Press: chapters 7, 8.

Diamond, J. (2005). Guns, Germs and Steel. London, Vintage Books: chapters 4, 5, 10.

Sloan, G. (2017), Geopolitics, Geography and Strategic History. London, Routledge: chapter 1.


Week 2 – Early forms of fighting, geographical expansion and the path to modernity:

Christian, D. (2011), Maps of Time: An Introduction to Big History. Berkeley, University of California Press: chapters 9, 12.

Diamond, J. (2005). Guns, Germs and Steel. London, Vintage Books: chapter 14.

Gat, A. (1999). "The Pattern of Fighting in Simple, Small-Scale, Prestate Societies" Journal of Anthropological Research 55(4): 563-583.


Week 3 - Classical geopolitical theories:

Sloan, G. (2017), Geopolitics, Geography and Strategic History. London, Routledge: chapter 2.

Sumida, J. (2013), "Alfred Thayer Maha, Geopolitician", in Gray, C. and Sloan, G. (eds.), Geopolitics, Geography and Strategy. London, Routledge, pp. 39-62.

Herwig, H. (2013), "Geopolitik: Hausoher, Hitler and Lebensraum", in Gray, C. and Sloan, G. (eds.), Geopolitics, Geography and Strategy. London, Routledge, pp. 218-240.


Week 4 - Cold War and post-Cold War geopolitical theories:

Sloan, G. (2017), Geopolitics, Geography and Strategic History. London, Routledge: chapter 6.

Kennan, G. (1947), "The Sources of Soviet Conduct" Foreign Affairs 25 (July): 566–82.

Huntington, S. (1993), "The Clash of Civilizations?" Foreign Affairs 72(3): 22-49.

Fukuyama, F. (1989) "The End of History?" The National Interest 16 (Summer): 3-18.


Week 5 - New approaches to power politics: International wars and internal regimes (I):

Gunitsky, S. (2017), Aftershocks. Great Powers and Domestic Reforms in the 20th Century. Princeton, Princeton University Press: chapters 1, 2, 3, 4.


Week 6 - New approaches to power politics: International wars and internal regimes (II):

Gunitsky, S. (2017), Aftershocks. Great Powers and Domestic Reforms in the 20th Century. Princeton, Princeton University Press: chapters 5, 6, 7.


Week 7 – New approaches to space, geography and politics (I):

Gilardi, F. (2012), "Transnational Diffusion: Norms, Ideas and Policies", in Carlsnaes, W., Risse, T. and Simmons, B. (eds.) Handbook of International Relations. Thousand Oaks, Sage, pp. 453-477.

Buhaug, H. and Gleditsch, K. S. (2008), "Contagion or Confusion? Why Conflicts Cluster in Space" International Studies Quarterly 52(2): 215-233.

Horowitz, M. (2010), "Nonstate Actors and the Diffusion of Innovations: The Case of Suicide Terrorism" International Organization 64(1): 33-64.


Week 8 – New approaches to space, geography and politics (II):

Theisen, O., Holtermann, H. and Buhaug, H. (2012), "Climate Wars? Assessing the Claim that Drought Breeds Conflict" International Security 36(3): 79-106

Koubi, V., Spilker, G., Schaffer, L. and Bernauer, T. (2016) "Environmental Stressors of Migration: Evidence from Vietnam" World Development 79(3): 197-210.

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS will have to add the remaining chapters of the following books to the readings indicated above:
Diamond, J. (2005). Guns, Germs and Steel. London, Vintage Books.
Gray, C. and Sloan, G. (eds.), Geopolitics, Geography and Strategy. London, Routledge.

Knowledge: Advanced understanding of the major channels through which space and geography connect to international politics and of the evolutuon of geopolitics from the classical pre-World war II doctrines to contemporary empirical approaches.
Abilities acquired at the end of the course: High degree of confidence in dealing with theoretical and advanced empirical research in international relations; Critical evaluation of scholarly literature.
Capacity to apply the knowledge acquired: Conduct basic research on the links between space, geography and international politics; Present pieces of research with appropriate technical and oral skills.

Basic knowledge of modern and contemporary history, comparative politics and international relations

The course will take the form of seminars. Following an introduction structured as a lecture, students are expected to discuss the topic of the day and give presentations. Reading class material in advance is thus essential to participate successfully in the course.

Students have to register on the EMoodle platform (http://e-l.unifi.it/ ask professor for the password) and download the material that the teacher will be posting on it.
Special attention will be devoted to specific important needs (such as students with disabilities that are unable to attend the course).

- In class presentation: 25% of the grade;
- Final written exam on all readings (1.5 hours): 75% of the grade.

Students who do not regularly attend class will be assessed through a final written exam on all readings, including the additional chapters (2 hours).

The course is structured in four parts. After an introduction to Geopolitics, the first part of the course will focus on the birth of "human space", the creation of the first political entities and the links between geography and human development in early modern history. The second part of the course will be devoted to classical and modern geopolitical theories and doctrines, ranging from pre-World War II authors to post-Cold War interpretations of the links between human geography and international politics. The third part of the course will present a contemporary approach to the study of power politics, and more specifically to the link between international wars and domestic regimes, while the final part of the course will take into account contemporary empirical research on the spatial diffusion of conflicts and the social-political consequences of climate change.