GEOGG081 Geopolitics and Globalisation

CORE: GEOGG081 - GEOPOLITICS AND GLOBALISATION
(15 credits)

Term 1 (2011)

Staff:
Jason Dittmer

Aims:

This module examines relations between geopolitics and globalisation from the Cold War through the post-Cold War period. It draws on theory in critical geopolitics and related fields to examine visions, strategies and transformations of global political spaces, focusing on a variety of thematic and empirical cases.


Content:

Theoretically, the module considers the ways in which insights from political economy, post-structuralism, post-colonialism and feminism have been reflected in critical geopolitical analysis. Ways of conducting research on geopolitical issues are considered throughout the module.

The module considers the extent to which the Cold War can be situated in longer term patterns of imperialism and hegemonic rivalry. It then examines the end of the Cold War as a geopolitical transition and the emergence of ‘globalisation’ as a dominant framing for and driver of geopolitical problems. This is compared with critical readings of globalisation and geopolitics through the concepts of Empire and imperialism.

Assessment:

100% coursework - 1 x 3000 word essay.

Format:

The course is taught through a series of seminars.

Learning Outcomes:

Students completing this course will be able to intelligently debate on the following topics:
·    Environmental determinism and geopolitics
·    Political economy approaches to geopolitics
·    Critical geopolitics
·    Feminist geopolitics
·    Non-representational approaches
·    Biopolitics
·    Globalisation’s link to ‘geopolitics’