Political geography has produced some of the most radical and innovative ideas in human geography in the past twenty years. The meaning and significance of traditional political subdivisions, such as the state, have had to be fundamentally re-evaluated in the face of the globalisation of society and economy and this has forced political geographers to look for new ways of explaining the dynamics of the world system.
"Political Geography provides a stimulating and concise introduction to the key themes of the subdiscipline, which moves beyond the study of the state to encompass the spatial consequences of power at all levels. It is divided into three sections:
- Process and Patterns, considers how and why societies allocate and manage territory and why exclusive control over defined areas has become such an overwhelming preoccupation. The main vehicle for this is the state and the different ways in which states are organised and the preconditions for their political success are the main focus for this section.
- Ideology and Geopolitical Visions, looks beyond the state to evaluate critically the geopolitical strategies of successful expansionist powers that have enabled them to stamp their values and influence beyond their immediate political boundaries. Of growing importance in this regard at the present time is the ruthless political struggle to achieve dominance over the world's oceans.
- Beyond the State, extends the argument further to examine the impact that globalisation has had on political structures and on political relationships across the globe. In particular, it addresses issues such as the inequalities in the distribution of wealth and the apparentinability of existing political institutions to remedy the situation.
In the conclusion, the book asks whether the existing concepts and models used by political geographers are sufficiently robust to be able to contribute usefully to the analysis of the new world order in the 2
Autorentext
Mark Blacksell
Zusammenfassung
In 1904 Sir Halford Mackinder published his seminal paper The Geographical Pivot of History demonstrating the central position of political geography in the study of geography as a whole; a century later and political geography is still at the heart of human geography. Yet over time political geography has experienced many significant ups and downs, eventually recovering to a position of renewed pre-eminence as the last century drew to a close. This fascinating journey, charted by this equally fascinating book, forms a key part of the history of the evolution of spatial science. Beyond a narrative, the book provides an introduction to all the complex elements that constitute political geography today. Organized in three distinct sections, it covers:process and patternsideology and geopolitical visionsbeyond the state.Tackling key contemporary issues (such as politics and the local state), as well as more traditional topics (such as state formation and international relations), this thought-provoking book covers the range of theoretical approaches. Including many original maps and diagrams which skilfully illustrate key themes, this book is a concise, student-friendly, pedagogically rich introduction for students of geography, political science and world affairs.
Inhalt
1. Placing Political Geography Part 1 2. Human Territory, Maps and the Division of Space 3. The Idea of State 4. Making States Function: The Variety of Local State Systems 5. The Politics of Difference 6. Social Movements, Pressure Groups and Political Parties 7. Electoral Geographies Part 2 8. Imagining Natural Divisions of Global Power 9. Dreams into Action: The Making of National Foreign Policy 10. Annexing the Oceans Part 3 11. Globalisation and the Theory of World Systems 12. States in the 21st Century 13. Conclusion: Spatial Political Change in Context