GEOG40450

Critical geopolitics is concerned with the geographical assumptions and designations that underlie the making of world politics. The goal of critical geopolitics is to elucidate and explain how political actors spatialize international politics and represent it as a “world” characterized by particular types of places. This module explores Critical Geopolitics as an approach to understanding political geographies. It begins by examining how Critical Geopolitics has emerged in Human Geography, and the reaction and misuse of 'Geopolitical' thinking. The module will examine conceptually and analytically the nature of Critical Geopolitics. To do this, the module examines the notions of space and place in elite thinking, situated political practices in EU governance, and the construction and implementation of geo-political narratives ( where/what is the 'Mediterranean'? What does 'Eastern' mean in Eastern Europe? Is Iceland an Arctic state?). The module also addresses new conceptual thinking in critical geopolitics with a specific focus on diplomacy (including emotion and effect, language, and diplomatic atmospheres). This section of the module draws on Professor Jones' recently published research on the United Nations Security Council.