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In December, the editor evaluated the website's structure and design. This process led to the re-naming of some sections, pages and url's. Although links on the website have been updated, search engines may refer to old page names for a while. Therefore, you could end up on homepage after selecting a link to another page. Our apologies for any incovenience.
The website started in January 2009 and this month, we welcome the 80th contributor. I would like to seize this opportunity to express my gratitude to all contributors for their support and enthusiasm.
But what is the essence of geopolitics? Let's ask a couple of experts who have contributed.
Simon Dalby, for example, argues that "I don’t define geopolitics! It’s a term that refers to numerous modes of linking space and power, not a thing to be reduced to a stable definition."
Colin Flint says something similar: "So how should we define geopolitics, in the contemporary world and with the intent of offering a critical analysis? Our goals of understanding, analyzing, and being able to critique world politics require us to work with more than one definition."
Is it wrong that there is no widely accepted definition of geopolitics? No, it is not. Actually, the same holds true for all concepts that human beings have created: terrorism, nationalism, and so on.
Virginie Mamadouh's view in this regard reflects the spirit of ExploringGeopolitics well: "There is no definition that would do justice to the diversity of the approaches geopolitics covers and there is no need for a single definition. That is part of the fun."
Let me finish by recommending her contribution that clearly explains 'the many faces of geopolitics':
Virginie Mamadouh: Geopolitics in the 2000s
Looking ahead, I will continue to do my best to keep the website stimulating, enlightening and thought-provoking. So if you miss a particular topic here, please let me know, and I will see what I can do!
If you are a first-time visitor, you may wonder: what are the seven sections of the website about?
To start, the Geopolitical Concepts, Traditions and Trends section looks into geopolitical theories and concepts, and contains the annual review.
Moreover, the Geopolitical Scholars sections hosts the Geopolitical Passport series that offers specialists an opportunity to give their views on this discipline. The interviews address issues such as books and the geopolitical future.
The Geography, Politics, International Relations section with a broad range of topics such as Cartography, Nationalism and Territory.
The Energy, Water and Resource Scarcity section provides a good insight into the views of experts in the field regarding strategic resources.
Furthermore, the contributions in the Africa and Europe/The Americas, Asia and The Middle East sections focus specifically on a country or region.
Finally, the Study and Research Support section provides information about geopolitical courses. It further discusses books, conferences and so on.
William Worster's contribution about sovereignty is this month's new number one. A primer in the ranking is the presence of three contributors with two pieces: Mahdi Ahouie (on Iran), Saul Cohen (on US) and Nathalène Reynolds (on Pakistan).
William Worster: Sovereignty - two competing theories of state recognition (2)
Gérard Dussouy: International Relations, realism and liberalism (1)
Leonhardt van Efferink: The definition of geopolitics (3)
Ian Klinke: Five minutes for critical geopolitics: A slightly provocative introduction (9)
Federico Bordonaro: Rediscovering Spykman (5)
Timothy Boon von Ochssée: Mackinder and Spykman and the new world energy order (12)
Mahdi Ahouie: Iran's relationship with China, India and Russia (11)
Jason Dittmer: Popular geopolitics, culture and representations (7)
Saul Cohen: Great powers, shatterbelts, gateways, geostrategic regions (NEW)Cohen: 2011 Geopolitical Review - global events and US foreign policy (10)Mahdi Ahouie: Iran's foreign policy objectives, security concerns and global position (NEW)
Nathalène Reynolds: Jammu-Kashmir conflict - history, identities and resolution (4)
Alex Chitty: Western Sahara - territorial dispute, self- determination and the UN (NEW)
Donald Abelson: Think tanks - definition, their influence and US foreign policy (13)Nathalène Reynolds: Pakistan - Women's rights, civic society and Benazir Bhutto (8)
Professor Simon Dalby works at Carleton University in Ottawa and is co-editor of the Geopolitics journal.
In this interview, he talks about the Cold War, global warming, the ideas of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, geographical imaginations, political discourses and so on.
Professor Dalby concludes the interview with suggestions about how geographers could help improving global and local security conditions:
Simon Dalby 1: Security Definition, Otherness, Cold War, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke
Simon Dalby 2: Discourses, threats, dichotomies, USSR communism, Al-Qaida terrorism
Simon Dalby 3: Climate change, humanity, capitalism, modernity, geographers
For the third consecutive year, EG contributors discuss the most significant geopolitical events of the year:
Chitty / Dalby: 2011 Geopolitical Review - social media / Durban climate conference
Crampton / Elden: 2011 Geopolitical Review - WikiLeaks / 'Occupy' protests
Cohen: 2011 Geopolitical Review - global events and US foreign policy
Mamadouh: 2011 Geopolitical Review - financialization and resistance
