1. Geopolitics and Supranationalism
Political Geography
Geopolitics and Supranationalism

2. Geopolitics
Geopolitics – the interplay among geography, power, politics, and international relations.

3. Classical Geopolitics
German School
eg. Ratzel’s organic state theory
British / American School
eg. Mackinder’s Heartland Theory

4. Mackinder’s Heartland Theory: “Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland Who rules the Heartland commands the World Island Who rules the World Island commands the world”

5. Mackinder’s Heartland Theory

6. Domino Theory
If one country in a region chose or was forced to accept a communist political and economic system, then neighboring countries would be irresistibly susceptible to falling to communism.
Examples: Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia

7. Critical Geopolitics
The idea that intellectuals of state craft and construct ideas about places, these ideas influence and reinforce their political behaviors and policy choices, and these ideas affect how what happens and how most people interpret what happens.

8. Geopolitical World Order
Temporary periods of stability in how politics are conducted at the global scale.
bi-polar – Cold War: US & UK v. USSR
multi-polar
Unilateralism –US in lead with allies following rather than joining in the decision making process.
New World Order – Global cooperation to bring discipline to rogue states.

9. Geopolitical World Order
The United States’ controversial invasion of Iraq significantly undermined its influence in many parts of the world.
Southeastern Asia states that had long been oriented towards the US began to turn away.
Anti- Americanism surged around the world.
Emergence of China and India as increasingly significant powers; new multi-polar order?
Will individual states remain the dominant actors in a future geopolitical world order?

10. Supranational Organizations
A separate entity composed of three or more states that forge an association and form an administrative structure for mutual benefit in pursuit of shared goals.
* How many supranational organizations
exist in the world today?
100+

11. Global Scale – The United Nations

12. Regional Scale – The European Union

13. How does Supranationalism affect the State?
identities
economics

14. Establishing Boundaries
Define – legal with lines of latitude & longitude
Delimit – cartographers/maps
Demarcate – fences & walls
Administrate – maintaining boundaries & trade issues

15. Types of Boundaries Geometric boundaries – based on grid systems
eg. Boundary between the US and Canada
Physical-political boundaries – follow an agreed-upon feature in the physical geographic landscape.
eg. Boundary between the US and Mexico

16. Boundary Disputes Locational – centers on delimitation and demarcation
Operational – centers on the function of the border
Allocational - centers over resources