"One needs to be not just a good political geographer, but also a first-class anthropologist, sociologist, political scientist, economist..."
Professors of Political Geography discuss their course and contemporary geopolitics.
When studying world politics one needs to scrutinise not only history, political science, and global economy, but also geography. Students of the International Relations and Global Studies programme talked to their professors of Political Geography and learned why international relations students need to study political geography, how it differs from geopolitics, and what the best way to conduct research is. Maria Zotova, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology; Andrey Zinovyev, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economic and Social Geography at St. Petersburg State University; and Simon Pavlyuk, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Urban and Regional Development share the view on contemporary political geography.
— Political geography and geopolitics are very closely related. Many people believe that geopolitics cannot be considered a science. What is your opinion on this matter? How are political geography and geopolitics connected, and are there any differences between them?
Zotova: Excellent question! This topic provokes discussions not only among students but also among scholars. Some don’t take geopolitics seriously, while others define it as a science but with some controversies. It is difficult to say whether geopolitics can be separated from political geography. The latter mostly focuses on spatial studies of political processes within a country: elections, regional division, interaction with authorities. Geopolitics stems from this complex but focuses on global issues of power balance, control over territory, and spheres of influence.
Zinovyev: Geopolitics indeed is often perceived negatively due to the events of the 20th century. Classical geopolitical theories, which in some way led to the two world wars, have become outdated with the development of society and technologies. Once-impassable mountains are no longer impassable, and deep seas are not so deep. New methods of weapon delivery and globalisation are breaking down geographical barriers. Old classical geopolitical theories were nationally oriented: each scholar tried to present their country as a strong and important one and explain why it deserved to be a world power. But there are no new theories that сould be unanimously accepted. This undermines the authority of geopolitics as a separate field of scientific research. Political geography, on the other hand, is gradually moving away from studying states, delving into regional differences and micro-level processes within countries.
— Geopolitics was among the sciences banned in the Soviet Union, along with cybernetics and genetics. How did this ban affect political geography and geopolitics research in Russia? What is it like to be a scholar in this field?
Zotova: After the bans, there was a boom in political geography in Russia; many scholars rushed to research this field. This was not so much due to the loosening of a prohibitive grip but the collapse of the USSR. Interestingly, a geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century, as it was considered by many, provided tons of materials for research: new independent states, the construction of new identities, the development of international relations. Of course, after the surge, the field experienced a calmer period and political geography began to fragment into different sub-disciplines.
Moreover, conducting research in political geography is challenging: one needs to be not just a good political geographer but also a first-class anthropologist, sociologist, political scientist, and economist, because political geography lies at the intersection of many disciplines. This gives it both advantages and disadvantages.
Zinovyev: Yes, due to such interdisciplinarity, researchers of political geography face a problem: there are too few of us! Consequently, we have a relatively small community in Russia. Firstly, specialists just can’t write many articles. Secondly, if we look at citation rates, Russian research papers are not very popular. One could try to find a conspiracy, but the truth is that our research is often focused on Russia and the post-Soviet space that do not fit well into more universal patterns of most countries in the world. Therefore, the circle of those interested in our research is quite small. Like any science, political geography needs enthusiasts who genuinely want to engage in groundbreaking and original research. We hope that such young scholars will join us soon.
Zotova: Another crucial aspect is international cooperation. Undoubtedly, it helps us gain new practices and share knowledge. Recently, I participated in such an event: discussions were conducted in various languages, familiar topics were raised, but sometimes non-obvious solutions and ideas were proposed. All this contributes to the development of scientific thought.
— How important is it for political geographers to go to places to see everything with their own eyes? Or can they conduct a research remotely, sitting in Moscow or St. Petersburg?
Pavlyuk: There are serious discussions on this topic. If you go for just a week, you might only make the research worse, as short-term visits do not provide a complete picture of the region. A classic mistake of a Western journalist is to come to Iran, talk to 5-7 people who speak English, learn that they dislike the government, and then declare that all Iranians hate the government. But this is an obvious distortion, a mistake. Most people probably wouldn't speak this way, they are unlikely to say anything in English at all. At the same time, I believe that only personal visits give you the sense of place and help you understand a country, city, or society. It reminds me of an episode from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's "The Little Prince". Do you remember the geographer and his Planet? The scholar sits there but cannot answer the Little Prince's questions about the number of oceans, rivers, or mountains on his planet because he has never traveled. This example perfectly shows that a geographer must be a traveller!
— You are teaching Political Geography for the first year in the International Relations and Global Studies programme. Do you already have an idea of how this course can help students in their future careers?
Zinovyev: I believe it is very important for an international relations specialist not to perceive a country as a monolith. It is necessary to understand that any country is divided into different parts with their own views, goals, and values. Therefore, the main message of our course is to provide an understanding of why it is important to look deeper into the chosen country.
Pavlyuk: There are several differences in teaching the discipline to geographers and to international relations students. For geographers, when studying political conflicts, it is necessary to focus on space. When it comes to international relations students, the regional aspect is more expressed: understanding a country not only from a spatial but also from a social, historical, or even linguistic perspective is important. International relations students have no limits: one can write about politics, another about nationalism, anothercan study regional cuisine. Such broad horizons would make any geography student envious! You’ll realise that the knowledge gained from the course in "Political Geography" will come in useful in the most unexpected situations, making you even more professional.
— Why is it important for international relations students to study political geography? Should one immerse in geopolitics at the same time?
Zinovyev: Political geography has an incredibly strong influence on geopolitics, and vice versa. Elections in the United States seem to be a domestic matter. It is studied by political and electoral geography. But do I need to explain the impact of the election outcome on geopolitics? And if something occurs that undermines voters' trust, for instance, in the Republican candidate, then geopolitics will influence political geography. This shows that political geography and geopolitics should be studied together not to miss important details. Then, perhaps, the truth will be born. Or maybe it won't, but we will get closer to it! (laughs)
— Describe political geography in one or a few words.
Zotova: Differentiation of political space.
Zinovyev: Interesting, diverse.
Pavlyuk: Antidepressant. Political geography is filled not only with theories but also with spatial-temporal patterns. Any crisis will end, and life goes on. After any hardships, a period of prosperity and peace follows, and this gives hope.
Prepared by I. Pokatilov and T. Petrov, first-year students of the International Relations and Global Studies programme, within the International Relations and Global Studies Press Center project.