SVKM’s NARSEE MONJEE COLLEGE OF COMMERCE & ECONOMICS

Juhu, Vile Parle west, Mumbai

DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
FYBCOM
SEM 1 GEOGRAPHY OF GEOPOLITICS
Preparatory Notes

Module 2- Concepts and Theory

2.1 Concepts in Geopolitics-Territoriality, sovereignty, State, Region

2.2 Classical Theories- Heartland Theory; Rimland Theory;
2.3 Modern Geopolitics wrt Business, MNC’s and International Trade

2.1 Concepts in Geopolitics-Territoriality, Sovereignty, State, Region

Geopolitics- Concepts
Module II
and theory
2.1 Concepts in 7th Edition-Political Geography World- Group work
Geopolitics- Economy, Nation-State and Locality By Colin Article Review
Territoriality, Flint, Colin Flint, Peter J. Taylor, Peter J.
sovereignty, State, TaylorCopyright 2018
Region [Link]
Geography-World-Economy-Nation-State-and-
Locality/Flint-Flint-Taylor-
Taylor/p/book/9781138058262

Geopolitics focuses on political power linked to geographic space, in particular, territorial

waters and land territory in correlation with diplomatic history.

▪ Territoriality-The control of a specific, identifiable portion of Earth's surface by a

state or other entity.
▪ The monopolization of space by an individual or group.
▪ Territoriality: connection of people, culture, and their economic system to the land.
[Link] (borders defining
Territoriality)
▪ Borders-types- Natural boundaries., Political boundaries., Linguistic boundaries.,
Economic boundaries, Social boundaries, Landscape borders., Lines of Control
(LoC),Airspace borders.

▪ Power: geographic control over people, land, and resources.

▪ Sovereignty can describe the power of one state or thing over another or the freedom
a state or thing has to control itself.
 ▪ State: State is a centralized political organization that imposes and enforces rules
over a population within a territory
▪
▪ Region: A region is any space that is distinct from another area. The word region
is from the Latin regionem which means “direction, boundary, district.”

A functional region in geography is an area centered on a node, focal point, or central hub
surrounded by interconnecting linkages. The primary node in a functional region features
surrounding areas with common social, political, or economic purposes that relate to trade,
communications, or transportation

Formal Regions are areas that share a uniform attribute, such as language, culture, or
political organization. An example of a formal region includes the borders of the US. Formal
regions are usually well-defined and established.

Perceptual/vernacular regions are informal regions based on popular perception rather than
a well-defined concept. Instead of having formal borders, like formal regions do, the
boundaries of perceptual/vernacular regions are often debated. An example of a
perpetual/vernacular region includes the Bermuda Triangle. This ill-defined region does not
exist in actuality, but instead is based on myth. Perceptual/vernacular regions have no
definitive borders; it depends on how an individual perceives the region. These regions reside
in our "mental maps."

2.2 Classical Theories- Heartland Theory; Rimland Theory

2.2 Classical Rethinking Central Eurasia-Eldar Ismailov, Vladimer Papava Article

Theories- (2020) Central Asia Caucasus institute Silk road studies Review
Heartland program, Johns Hopkins University-SAIS, 1619 Massachusetts Report
Theory; Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036 Institute for Security and reading and
11 & 12
Rimland Development Policy, V. Finnbodav. 2, Stockholm-Nacka 13130, group
Theory; Sweden [Link] pgs 84-102 discussions
Political Geography (2021)- Majid Hussain
Cohen, Saul Bernard (2020): Geopolitics of the world system

Concepts of political power and territoriality

• Why do some states grow powerful while others are weak?
Organic Theory- Friedrich Ratzel (1844 – 1904)
Mnemonic {Rats (Ratzel) are organisms (Organic)}
Organic Theory
• Influenced by the beliefs of Charles Darwin and
• Claimed that states are similar to organisms and applied the idea of natural
selection to relationships among them
• States are born and need nourishment and living space (lebensraum), which
they gain by annexing territory from weaker states
• If weak state stayed weak, it would cease to exist
• Examples: westward expansion in the United States and European
 colonization
Heartland Theory
• Sir Halford Mackinder (1861 – 1947)
• {Mnemonic-Kind Heart – Mackinder/Heartland}
• This theory influenced policy decisions on a global scale through both world
wars and many Cold War conflicts
Heartland Theory
• Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland;
• Who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island;
• Who rules the Islands commands the world.

Mackinder’s Heartland Theory

• Europeans saw the success of colonial acquisitions and concluded that
countries derived power from controlling water routes in the ocean
• Mackinder dissented (disagreed) and stated that land-based power was
essential for global domination
• Domination of Eastern Europe → control of the heartland (Eastern Europe +
Russia + Central Asia)
• Control of the heartland → World Island (Afro-Eurasia)

Heartland Theory
• Based on beliefs and geographic facts
• Land transportation enabled military to move as fast on land as on water
• Therefore control over land was more important than maritime power
• Heartland has large coal deposits and other resources
• Heartland is mostly landlocked and therefore well-protected
• Only way of invasion is through Eastern Europe
• “World Island” includes the majority of Earth’s land and population

Rimland Theory
Nicholas Spykman (1892 – 1943)
Rimland Theory
• Argued that power is derived from controlling strategic maritime areas of the
world
• Comprises densely populated coastal areas outside the heartland.
• Spykman believed this area provided more resources including people and
access to the sea
• His writing influenced western policymakers throughout the Cold War and
were reflected in the creation of NATO and Truman’s containment policy

Territoriality Connects Culture and Economy

• Although maps may show boundaries of a state as clear, precise, and well-
defined lines, some boundaries spark disagreement or are ignored completely.
• Similarly, a state’s sovereignty may be declared on paper but not fully
accepted in reality.
• Example: Sunni and Shia Muslims – two branches of Islam divided over the
question of who should success Muhammed after his death in 632. These
groups are still divided and has led to violence.
Territoriality Connects Culture and Economy
• Territoriality is closely connected to economic issues
• Example: Spratly Islands – Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Taiwan,
and China claim sovereignty over these islands in the South China Sea. Some
economic reasons include unconfirmed access to petroleum, fishing supplies
food and work for the people, and major international shipping lanes pass
through this region.

Territoriality Connects Culture and Economy

• As of 2016, each of the countries involved (except Brunei) occupied at least
part of the island group
• China has attempted to expand the size of its holdings through dredging and
land reclamation, building up small reefs into full-fledged islands

The geopolitics of AI and the rise of digital sovereignty ([Link])

2.3 Modern Geopolitics wrt Business, MNC’s and International Trade
2.3 Modern Chapter 3; Global Financial Report 2023-IMF April 2023 Presentation
Geopolitics and Group
wrt Business discussions
and MNC’s
Modern Geography of World Politics and International Relations 2014 Group
Geopolitics [Link] discussions
wrt Geography-of-International-Relations-Third-Edition Newspaper
International updates and
Trade related
discussions

Modern Geopolitics wrt International Trade

▪ Trade and geopolitics are deeply interdependent

▪ driven by nations’ shared economic interests in the global political landscape.
▪ As these common interests grow stronger, the root of their relationship deepens
accordingly.
▪ This intricate relationship serves as a vital thread that weaves together economic
interests, resource accessibility, trade route control, regional integration, and the
pursuit of geopolitical goals.
▪ Trade policy is increasingly linked to geopolitical risks, but is also used as a tool to
advance broader foreign policy objectives, such as protecting national security
interests, tackling climate change and promoting human rights.
▪ In light of this shifting geopolitical landscape, major trading blocks are adapting their
approach to trade. The EU, for example, is pursuing ‘open strategic autonomy’, and
taking steps to counter the use of economic coercion by third countries.
Refence book- Cohen- pgs
Lesson 5: Territorial Geopolitics - Shaky Foundations of the World Political Map? | GEOG 128:
Geography of International Affairs ([Link])

Modern Geopolitics wrt Business and financial stability

•• Financial fragmentation induced by geopolitical tensions could have potentially

important implications for global financial stability by affecting the cross-border
allocation of capital, international payment systems, and asset prices.
•• Geopolitical tensions, proxied by the divergence in the foreign policy orientation of
investing and recipient countries, matter significantly for cross-border portfolio
allocation. For example, a one-standard-deviation increase in geopolitical tensions
between an investing and a recipient country—equivalent to the diverging voting
behavior of the United States and China in the United Nations since 2016—could
reduce bilateral cross-border portfolio and bank allocation by about 15 percent.
•• An increase in geopolitical tensions with major partner countries could cause a
sudden reversal of cross-border capital flows, with the effect being more pronounced
for emerging market and developing economies than for advanced economies.
•• This could pose macro-financial stability risks by increasing banks’ funding costs,
reducing their profitability, and lowering their provision of credit to the private sector.
These impacts are likely to be disproportionately larger for banks with lower
capitalization ratios.
 •• Greater financial fragmentation stemming from geopolitical tensions could also
exacerbate macro-financial volatility in the longer term by reducing international risk
diversification opportunities in the face of adverse domestic and external shocks.

Modern Geopolitics wrt MNC’s

• MNC’s-shape the global economy-foreign policy making
• MNCs' unique positions in the market affect their political activities.
• Domination of US-MNC’s
• Differences in differences identification strategy to estimate the effect of MNC’s
status on lobbying
• MNCs are important political actors whose distinct interests and influence should be
incorporated into our understanding of foreign policy-making.
• organizations need to develop sharper scrutiny and vigilance to assess risks associated
with running of their businesses.
John Chipman, chief executive of the International Institute for Strategic Studies,
defines as corporate foreign policy.
He states that companies need to effectively 'privatise' their foreign policy to cope
with political uncertainties of a region by collecting external intelligence, identifying
allies and developing their own relationships with foreign governments. An American
company investing in Ghana, for instance, needs to understand not just the U.S.
foreign policy involving Ghana or its internal politics, but also the Chinese policy
towards Ghana, given Beijing's commercial clout. Investing in Myanmar not only
requires an understanding of its complex internal politics, but also its relations with
China, India and other ASEAN states holding interests in Myanmar.
• Egs Geopolitical volatility: How corporate diplomacy can help MNCs –
BusinessToday
• MNCs revisit geopolitical risk in India - The Economic Times ([Link])
• The Geopolitics of the Semiconductor Industry and India’s Place in It - Carnegie
India - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Geopolitics and international developments - KPMG Global

The above are the guiding points for preparation. However students may look into the mentioned
reference books in the syllabus.

Ms Vaishali N Kurhekar
Asst Professor
Dept of Environmental Studies