Type of Credit: Elective
Credit(s)
Number of Students
This course introduces graduate students to the different views on geopolitics and its influence on the field of International Relations. From the classical theorists, to the use of different levels of geopolitical analyses, as well as the development of geoeconomics, critical geopolitics and anti-geopolitics, this course will go through the different historical stages in the development of this subject of study, with the goal to make students familiar with the elements and nature of power, and its projection, putting a special emphasis in elements such as structures, codes, and agents. The impact of geography on the development of polities and their fate has been a topic of interest for scholars in International Relations, and political scientists in general, since the early beginnings of the field. Therefore, it is important for students to become familiar with the classical theories of geopolitical competition, from land and sea power, to the most recent ideas on space power. Globalization has also offered new fields for the application of geopolitical analysis, such as the irruption of non-state actors, as well as themes as terrorism, climate change, health hazards, and the political use of trade and other economic instruments.
能力項目說明
By the end of the semester students will be able to show an improved understanding of geopolitical and geostrategic considerations in contemporary issues of International Relations, including an increasing rivalry between great powers and the possible developments in the near future.
This course aims to equip students with:
*Basic understanding of theories and concepts associated with geopolitics, geoeconomics and geostrategy;
*An increased knowledge on geopolitical structures, codes and agents;
*Improved comprehension of the links between geopolitics and International Relations
| 教學週次Course Week | 彈性補充教學週次Flexible Supplemental Instruction Week | 彈性補充教學類別Flexible Supplemental Instruction Type |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (9/11): Course overview and introduction / What is Geopolitics?
C. Flint, “Prologue” (Introduction to Geopolitics).
Week 2 (9/18): Geopolitical frameworks and levels of analysis
C. Flint, “A Framework for Understanding Geopolitics” (Introduction to Geopolitics).
D.J. Singer, “International Conflict. Three Levels of Analysis,” World Politics 12 (1960), 453-461.
*K. Walz. Man, the State, and the State System in Theories of the Causes of War. (Thesis: Columbia University Press, 1954).
*C. Flint and P. J. Taylor. Political Geography: World Economy, Nation-State, and Locality (sixth edition). (Harlow: Prentice-Hall, 2011).
*C.D. LaRoche and S.F. Pratts, “Kenneth Waltz is not a neorealist (and why that matters),” European Journal of International Relations 24:1 (March 2018), 153-176.
Week 3 (9/25): Geopolitical codes and agency, and the individual level of analysis
C. Flint, “Geopolitical Agency: The Concept of Geopolitical Codes” and “Justifying Political Agency: Representing Geopolitical Codes” (Introduction to Geopolitics).
*G. Dijkink, “Geopolitical codes and popular representations,” GeoJournal 46:4 (1998), 293-299.
*K. Dodds, “Geopolitics, Experts and the Making of Foreign Policy,” Area 25:1 (1993), 70-74.
Week 4 (10/2): Presentation of Cases 1
Selected cases to apply concepts on formation of geopolitical codes, agents and the individual level of analysis
Week 5 (10/9): State building, territorial geopolitics and the state level of analysis
C. Flint, “Embedding Geopolitics Within National Identity” and “Territorial Geopolitics: Shaky Foundations of the World Political Map?” (Introduction to Geopolitics).
*H Z. Bulutgil, “Social cleavages, wartime experience, and ethnic cleansing in Europe,” Journal of Peace Research 52:5 (2015), 577-590.
* A. Bell-Fialkoff, “A Brief History of Ethnic Cleansing,” Foreign Affairs 72:3 (1993), 110-121.
* W. Hiers, T. Soehl and A. Wimmer, “National Trauma and the Fear of Foreigners: How Past Geopolitical Threat Heightens Anti-Immigration Sentiment Today,” Social Forces 96:1 (2017), 361-388.
Week 6 (10/16): Non-state actors and network geopolitics
C. Flint, “Network Geopolitics: Social Movements and Terrorists” (Introduction to Geopolitics).
K. Bahgat and R. M. Medina, “An Overview of Geographical Perspectives and Approaches in Terrorism Research,” Perspectives on Terrorism 7:1 (2013), 38-72.
*H. Leitner, E. Sheppard and K.M. Sziarto, “The Spatialities of Contentious Politics,” Transactions of The Institute of British Geographers, 33 (2008), pp. 157-172.
* R. Gunaratna, “Strategic Counter-Terrorism: A Game Changer in Fighting Terrorism?” Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses, Vol. 9, No. 6 (June 2017), pp. 1-5.
Week 7 (10/23): Presentation of cases 2
Selected cases to apply concepts on state building, nation formation, political development and the state level of analysis
Week 8 (10/30): Classical Geopolitics
G. O Tuathail, “Introduction to Part One” (The Geopolitics Reader).
Excerpts from (contained in The Geopolitics Reader):
H. J. Mackinder, “The Geographical Pivot of History,” Geographical Journal, 23 (1904).
T. Roosevelt, “The Roosevelt Corollary,” annual address to Congress, 6 December 1904, from J. Richardson, A Compilation of Messages and Papers of the Presidents 9 (Washington, D.C.: Bureau of National Literature and Art, 1905)
K. Haushofer, “Why Geopolitik?” in Andreas Dorpalen, The World of General Haushofer (New York: Farrah and Rinehard, 1942).
Week 9 (11/6): Midterm Exam
Week 10 (11/13): Global geopolitical structures and the international level of analysis
C. Flint, “Global Geopolitical Structure: Framing Agency” (Introduction to Geopolitics).
G. Modelski, “The Long Cycle of Global Politics and the Nation-State,” Comparative Studies in Society and History 20:2 (1978), 214-235.
* G. Ó Tuathail, “The Postmodern Geopolitical Condition: States, Statecraft, and Security at the Millennium,” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 90:1 (2000), 166-178.
* J. Dittmer, “Playing Geopolitics: Utopian Simulations and Subversions of International Relations,” GeoJournal 80:6, (2015), 909-923.
Week 11 (11/20): Presentation of cases 3
Selected cases to apply concepts on formation of geopolitical codes, agents and the individual level of analysis
Week 12 (11/27): Geoeconomics
S.Scholvin and M. Wigell, “Power politics by economic means: Geoeconomics as an analytical approach and foreign policy practice,” Comparative Strategy 37:1 (2018), 73-84.
G. Csurgai, “The Increasing Importance of Geoeconomics in Power Rivalries in the Twenty-First Century,” Geopolitics 23:1 (2018), 38-46.
*D. Cowen and N. Smith, “After Geopolitics? From the Geopolitical Social to Geoeconomics.” Antipode 41:1, 22-48.
*J.Y Lee et al., “Decoupling from China: how U.S. Asian allies responded to the Huawei ban,” Australian Journal of International Affairs 76:5, 486-506.
Week 13 (12/4): Presentation of cases 4
Selected cases to apply concepts on geoeconomics and the political use of trade and other economic instruments
Week 14 (12/11): Environmental geopolitics and the case of the Arctic
C. Flint, “Environmental Geopolitics: Security and Sustainability” (Introduction to Geopolitics).
R. Hersman, E. Brewer and M. Simon, “Strategic Stability and Competition in the Arctic,” Jan. 1, 2021, Published by: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
* D. Hommel and A. B. Murphy, “Rethinking Geopolitics in an Era of Climate Change,” GeoJournal, 78:3 (2013), 507-524.
*F. Caselli, M. Morelli and D. Rohner, “The Geography of Interstate Resource Wars,” The Quarterly Journal of Economics 130:1 (2015), 267-316.
* C. Lee, “Arctic Strategy: Great Power Competition Extends to Arctic,” National Defense 104:789 (2019), 32-36.
Week 15 (12/18): From sea power theories to space power competition
P. Kennedy, “The Influence and the Limitations of Sea Power,” The International History Review 10:1 (1988), 2-17.
J.C. Moltz, “The Changing Dynamics of Twenty-First-Century Space Power,” Journal of Strategic Security 12:1 (2019), 15-43.
*M. Gunter, “Chinese Naval Strategy: The Influence of Admiral Mahan’s Theories of Sea Power,” World Affairs: The Journal of International Issues 24:3 (2020), 54-71.
*E. C. Dolman, “Victory through Space Power,” Strategic Studies Quarterly 14:2 (2020), 3-15.
*J. Stavridis. Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World’s Oceans. (New York: Penguin Press, 2017.)
Week 16 (12/25): Flexible study session (online) - Critical geopolitics and anti-geopolitics
C. Flint, “Messy Geopolitics: Agency and Multiple Structures” (Introduction to Geopolitics).
L. Sjoberg, “Gender, structure, and war: what Waltz couldn’t see,” International Theory 4:1, 1-38.
Week 17 (1/1): National Holiday (no class)
Week 18 (1/8): Deadline for final paper
This course is designed to encourage students’ participation in the form of discussion and presentations, and student attendance and participation are essential to its successful completion. The composition of evaluation is as follows:
Participation in class is essential and students are required to be prepared for the discussion of reading materials and selected cases. All students are required to participate in those activities, and also raise questions and comments during the presentations made by other classmates. The student will be asked to read the assigned reading materials before every session, in order to actively participate in the discussions during class. The students are expected to raise questions and offer different answers to the topics being discussed, as well as to try their best to develop their critical thinking skills. Attendance and punctuality are an integral part the final grade.
A presentation of a selected case (30 minutes long) will be scheduled for one of the assigned weeks during the semester. Each session will consist of three to four presentations, followed by group discussion. Depending on the total number of students enrolled in this class, it will be announced the number of presenters per topic. The cases to be presented are related to the different levels of analysis in geopolitics and international relations, applied to a series of ongoing and/or potential armed conflicts in various parts of the world. Each student/group has to select a case to present. One presentation per student/group, per semester.
By week 9, we will have a take home exam in which students are expected to demonstrate their familiarity with the main theoretical concepts in geopolitical analysis, particularly those presented during the first half of the semester. To answer the questions contained in the exam, the student should be able to identify the main aspects of the topics being presented during class, as well as the arguments, methodology, empirical evidence, and other important elements of the materials prepared for our course.
After each student/group had completed their presentations, they will be asked to complete a final written report (4,000 words), and submit it on the final week of the semester. Relevant literature shall be drawn appropriately in the presentation, and the final reports should properly include references and citations. The paper format includes 1.5 space; 12pts Times New Roman and APA 7th edition citation style. In the analysis, students should not only summarize the main arguments and ideas of the collected materials, but also highlight their own ideas and/or perceptions on the subject. No late submissions. The final paper will be marked according to its originality and style, giving priority to the student’s ability to collect academic materials, summarize the main trends in existing literature on the subject, present their own ideas and state them in a clear and concise manner.
* Cell phones shall be turned off or put on silent mode during class. Laptops or tablets are not permitted, except with prior permission from the instructor.
*Make-up presentations will not be granted except in case of emergency and in all cases require a note from your doctor.
* The instructor does not accept late assignments.
* This class has a zero-tolerance policy against plagiarism. All assignments are required to be in conformity with NCCU regulations.
The main course books we will use this semester are:
C. Flint. Introduction to Geopolitics, Fourth Edition. (New York: Routledge, 2022).
G. O Tuathail, S. Dalby and P. Routledge (eds.). The Geopolitics Reader, Second Edition. (New York: Routledge, 2006).
*T. J. Christensen. No New Cold War: Why US-China Strategic Competition will not be like the US-Soviet Cold War (Seoul: Asan Institute for Policy Studies, 2020).
| 書名 Book Title | 作者 Author | 出版年 Publish Year | 出版者 Publisher | ISBN | 館藏來源* | 備註 Note |
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