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Course Syllabus

Bachelor 2021/2022

Political Geography

Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'
Type: Compulsory course
Area of studies: Public Policy and Social Sciences
Delivered by: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs
Where: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs
When: 1 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies: offline
Open to: students of one campus
Instructors: Anna Drozdova, Andrei Skriba
Language: English
ECTS credits: 6
Contact hours: 58

Course Syllabus

Full Syllabus

Abstract

This course is concerned with the ways in which political practice is bound up with geographical definition: with spatially defined conceptions of inside and outside, center and margin, core and periphery systems that are regulated by international law and governed by such concepts as sovereignty and national self-determination.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • To understand the development of group identities such as nations and examine the linkages between these identities and the political organization of territory.
  • To examine states emergence with an emphasis on how internal and external forces work centripetally and centripetally on the integrity of state territories.
  • To develop an appreciation for the effects of boundaries on economic, political, and social processes.
  • To study in relevant details theoretical concepts and challenges underpinning the study of geography and politics.
  • To identity the political, economic, and environmental forces that are undermining the modern nation-state system.
  • To have a working familiarity with the most current research topics in political geography.
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • To be able to analyse and interpret the key stages in the formation of the modern nation-state
  • To be able to apply geopolitical theory to analysing the phenomenon of failed states and its implications for the international politics
  • To develop a critical view on the process of globalisation by engaging with the contemporary challenges of the deepened interdependence and interconnectedness of the international arena
  • To develop the understanding of the main reasons and potential consequences of regional conflicts
  • To study the concept of territoriality and sovereignty and be able to trace the connection between historical process of state formation and modern developments
  • To understand the mechanism of territorial enlargement and legal clauses which underpin the process
  • To understand the origins of political systems and be able to draw on the examples of different regions to explain the diversity of world orders today
  • To understand the politics of integration and be able to articulate potential challenges to the conventional understanding of sovereignty
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Sovereignty and state on the world map
  • Nation and nation-state
  • Political geography of state government
  • Sovereignty: The limits and beyond
  • Political geography of instability
  • Political geography as a discipline
  • State in the age of globalisation and beyond
  • Sovereignty not for all
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Seminar Attendance and Participation
    Medical certificate or any proof of academic activity (e.g. conference) should be handed in to the Administration Office if a student wants to make up for the missed opportunity to get credits. It is obligatory to notify the tutor or the assistants to ask for a special task for the related topic. The tutor should be notified by a student via e-mail during a student’s absence and a medical certificate (or any document explaining the valid reason) should be handed in not later than 2 days after a student has return to studying. Unless these steps are accomplished, a student will get the mark “0” for all seminars they missed.
  • non-blocking Map Test
  • non-blocking Midterm Test and Final
    The Module Test consists of 20-25 questions, which include all the material covered to this time. The questions can be written both in a test form, with an option to choose one or more answers, and in the form of an "open question", where it is needed to write the correct answer.
  • non-blocking Map Test 2
    The “Map Test” is a necessary check of factual knowledge for every student at the program. This test is designed as a small quiz uploaded and accessed by students via the online platform. The exact date and respective topics of the “Map Test” will be announced by the tutor.
  • non-blocking Group Project
    Group Project: Physical and Human geography of the state History and evolution of state’s sovereignty History and specific features of the nation-state The presentation is to last for no longer than 12 minutes, followed by a Q&A session. The presentation should be legible; therefore, it is recommended to avoid questionable color pairings and any text smaller than 18 pt. Students are free to select whichever member of the team is to present a particular part, yet the Instructor reserves the right to address subsequent questions to any member of the team. Every team member is expected to contribute to the presentation in order to get a grade.
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • 2021/2022 2nd module
    0.2 * Midterm Test and Final + 0.2 * Group Project + 0.4 * Seminar Attendance and Participation + 0.1 * Map Test + 0.1 * Map Test 2
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Conversi, D. (2016). Sovereignty in a Changing World: From Westphalia to Food Sovereignty. Globalizations, 13(4), 484–498. https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2016.1150570
  • Fisher, C. A. (2015). Essays in Political Geography. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1240134
  • Flint, C., & Taylor, P. J. (2014). Political Geography : World-economy, Nation-state and Locality (Vol. 6th ed). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=782852
  • Grotenhuis, R. (2016). Nation-Building as Necessary Effort in Fragile States. Web server without geographic relation, Web server without geographic relation (org): Amsterdam University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.10746755
  • Jones, M., Dixon, D., Hannah, M., Whitehead, M., Jones, R., & Woods, M. (2015). An Introduction to Political Geography : Space, Place and Politics (Vol. Second edition). New York: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=905853
  • Kofman, E., Knight, D. B., & Johnston, R. J. (2015). Nationalism, Self-Determination and Political Geography. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=861912
  • Martí Henneberg, J. (2017). The Development of European Waterways, Road and Rail Infrastructures: A Geographical Information System for the History of European Integration (1825-2005). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.F401C6CB
  • Minghi, J. (2017). The Structure of Political Geography (Vol. First edition). London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1588493
  • Perry, P. J. (2018). Political Corruption and Political Geography. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1990105
  • Reeder, B. W. . V. (DE-588)1164035878, (DE-576)50810131X, aut. (2018). The political geography of rebellion : using event data to identify insurgent territory, preferences, and relocation patterns / Bryce W. Reeder, University of Missouri. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.511784449
  • Waterman, S., & Kliot, N. (2016). Pluralism and Political Geography : People, Territory and State. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1100935

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Bae, Y. J. (2019). Globalization. New York: Greenhaven Publishing. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2006847
  • Boraine, A. (2014). What’s Gone Wrong? : On the Brink of a Failed State. New York: Jonathan Ball. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=789749
  • Edkins, J., & Zehfuss, M. (2019). Global Politics : A New Introduction (Vol. Third edition). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2003604
  • J.S. Frankel. (2016). Integration. Lincoln: Finch Books. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1459655
  • Koss, D. (2017). Political geography of Empire : Chinese varieties of local government / Daniel Koss. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.490607667
  • Kumar, C., Riamei, L., & Gupta, S. (2017). Understanding Global Politics. New Delhi: KW Publishers. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1630583
  • Ritzer, G., & Dean, P. (2018). Globalization : The Essentials (Vol. Second edition). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1991330

Authors

  • SKRIBA ANDREY SERGEEVICH