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Geopolitics The interplay between geography, power, politics & international relations G8 Meeting in Italy, 2009 A. Boundary Disputes I. Positional Dispute – disagreement over older antecedent boundary (Peru-Ecuador) II. Territorial Dispute – disagreement over the possession/control of land (i.e.: Kasmir; Somalia; Israel; Kurds; Basques; Spratly Islands) irredentism: territorial expansion (i.e.: Nazi Germany) III. Resource Dispute – over water, oil, sea (i.e.: Rio Grande between the U.S. and Mexico; Iraq-Kuwait) IV. Functional Dispute – problem over use of land today (i.e.: illegal immigration) The “Iron Curtain” Major area of dispute w/ Iraq in the Persian Gulf War (1990) South China Sea – area of major territorial & resource disputes Spratly Islands (rich in oil, claimed by six states) Spratly Islands B. Centripetal & Centrifugal Forces Centripetal Forces: promote unity & cohesion (i.e.: building roads, schools, armed forces, hospitals) Centrifugal Forces: destabilize or weaken a state (i.e.: separatist/autonomous movements; devolution; regionalism; tribalism) Is nationalism a centripetal or centrifugal force? “balkanization”? The fragmentation of a region into smaller, hostile political units nationalism– creating a the concept of allegiance to one single country or nation ethnonationalism– where the “nation” is defined in terms of ethnicity Exs: Scotland Spain– Basques, Catalonia Belgium– Flemish (Dutch) vs. Walloon (Fr.) Former Yugoslavia Russia– Chechnya Quebec Ethnic Regions in the Former Yugoslavia Yugoslavia’s six republics until 1992 included much ethnic diversity. Brutal ethnic cleansing occurred in Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo during the civil wars of the 1990s. Former USSR Chechnya (Russia) devolution: movement of power from the central government to regional governments within the state What causes devolutionary movements? Ethno-nationalism Economic forces Spatial forces Devolution of States: Sri Lanka The Sinhalese are mainly Buddhist and speak an Indo-European language, while the Tamils are mainly Hindu. Economic Devolutionary Movements Catalonia, Spain Barcelona is the center of banking and commerce in Spain and the region is much wealthier than the rest of Spain. Spatial Devolutionary Movements Honolulu, Hawai’I A history apart from the United States, and a desire to live apart in order to keep traditions alive. European Devolutionary Pressures: Regions Seeking Autonomy Regions of European devolution due to ethnonationalism – Scotland, Belgium, & Bosnia South Asia: India-Pakistan At independence in 1947, British India was divided into India and Pakistan, resulting in the migration of 17 million people and many killings. In 1971, after a brutal civil war, East Pakistan became the country of Bangladesh. India-Pakistan (Kashmir border) C. Geopolitics: the interplay between geography, power, politics, & international relations Classical Geopolitics German School: - Ratzel’s “organic state theory” - the state is a living organism, surviving by “eating” less powerful neighbors British/American School: - Mackinder’s “Heartland Theory” - Spykman’s “Rimland Theory” Geopolitical Strategies during the Cold War: Mackinder’s view: a unified heartland land-based empire Spykman’s view: a rimland sea-based power 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 D. post-WW II World Order: Bipolar World (1945-1991): – U.S. vs. Soviet Union – The “Cold War” Multipolar World (1991-2000) – international cooperation – “New World Order” Unilateral World (2000-2008) – states taking individual action The Obama Doctrine? “… unafraid to deploy American power but mindful that its use must be tempered by practical limits & a dose of self-awareness.” President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Singh of India