Geopolitics and International Relations Grounding World Politics Anew (Geopolitics and International Relations, 1)

"Although we live in a globalised world, territorially embedded factors are highly relevant in such domains as security, economy, energy, environment, politics & diplomacy. Today's analysts of world affairs are often loosely referring to 'geopolitics', but do not always clearly define it. This book therefore offers a necessary framework: an introduction into the main components of geopolitical analysis, an overview of the main geopolitical schools of thought, as well as reflections on how technology and geopolitics affect each other in economy, energy and security. In addition, several empirical studies are showcased, each developing innovative approaches. Leading authors reflect upon containment, analyse geopolitical myths, research geoeconomic rivalries, study mental maps, analyse conflict through territorially embedded variables & greed motivations and apply 'neo-medievalism' to study sub-state diplomacy. Contributors include: David Criekemans, Gyula Csurgai, Luis da Vinha, Manuel Duran, Alexandre Lambert, Antonios Nestoras, and Steven Spittaels"-- Provided by publisher Contents Background and Acknowledgements Figures Abbreviations Notes on Contributors Introduction: The Need for a Renewed ‘Grounding’ of International Relations Part 1. Basic Variables of Geopolitical Analysis 1. The Main Components of Geopolitical Analysis 1 Introduction 1.1 Geopolitical Analysis Method 1.2 The Main Motivations of Geopolitical Actors to Control a Geographic Zone 2 The Main Components of Geopolitical Analysis 2.1 Geographical Configuration 2.2 Natural Resources 2.3 Boundaries 2.4 Geopolitical Representations 2.5 Geography of Population 2.6 Historical Factors 2.7 Economic Factors 2.8 Strategies of Actors 3 Conclusion Bibliography 2. ‘Geotechnical Ensembles’: How New Technologies Change Geopolitical Factors 1 Introduction 2 Classical Geopolitics and Technology 3 Daniel Deudney’s “Geotechnical Ensembles” 4 Technology & Geopolitics in Today’s Economic, Energy and Security Relations 4.1 Economic Relations Faced with New ‘Geotechnical Ensembles’ 4.2 Energy Relations Faced with New ‘Geotechnical Ensembles’ 4.2.1 Changes to Existing Energy Mixes and Geo-Economic & Geopolitical ‘Fall out’ 4.2.2 Growing Need to Get Access to Critical Materials That Will Power Renewable Energy 4.2.3 A Race over Technological Advances and Intellectual Property in the Energy Domain 4.2.4 New Energy Technology Necessitates a Debate on ‘Strategic Autonomy’ 4.3 Security Relations Faced with New ‘Geotechnical Ensembles’ 5 Technology as ‘Conductor’ of Power and ‘Facilitator’ of Global Geopolitics Bibliography Part 2. Theoretical Approaches to Territorially Embedded Factors and IR 3. Geopolitical Schools of Thought: A Concise Overview from 1890 till 2020, and beyond 1 Geopolitics as a ‘Joint Project’ of Political Geography and International Relations 2 Geopolitics’ Precursor before the 1890s: Physiopolitics 3 The Rise and Fall of ‘Classical Geopolitics’ between 1890 and 1945 4 Reactions to ‘Classical Geopolitics’: The French Interwar School of Possibilism & the Work of the Dutch-American Political Scientist Nicholas John Spykman 5 1945 to the 1970s: Geopolitics Goes ‘Underground’ 6 A Forgotten, Yet Epistemologically Important Geopolitical School of Thought: ‘Cognitive Geopolitics’ as Developed by Harold and Margaret Sprout 7 The Return of Geopolitics from the 1970s Onwards: The US and France 8 A New Approach: The Development of ‘Critical Geopolitics’ (1988–92) 9 Non-Geopolitics: Neo-Classical, Ethno-Nationalistic Geopolitics 10 Reconsidering the ‘Geopolitical Schools of Thought’ and Their Approaches to the Study of the Relationship between Territoriality and International Politics 11 Is a ‘Best of Both Worlds’ Possible? 12 What Future for the Geopolitical Schools of Thought? Bibliography 4. Where Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Analysis Once Met: The Work of Harold and Margaret Sprout 1 Introduction 2 Introduction into the Life and Academic Work of Harold and Margaret Sprout 3 Towards a Better Insight into the Academic Work of Harold and Margaret Sprout 3.1 The ‘Geopolitical Foundations’ of the Sprouts’ Later Work on Foreign Policy Analyses: The Period between 1931 and 1948 3.2 The Sprouts’ Work in the 1950s and ‘60s: Distancing Themselves from the ‘National Power’-Approach in Favour of the More Tangible Level of Analysis of the Individual Decision Maker 3.3 The Sprouts’ Conceptual Breakthrough of 1956: The ‘Ecological Triad’ and the Distinction between the ‘Operational’ & ‘Psychological’ Milieu 3.3.1 The ‘Ecological Triad’ 3.3.2 The Distinction between the ‘Operational’ & ‘Psychological’ Milieu 3.4 The Sprouts’ Continuum: A Synthesized Perspective on the Relation Territoriality—Politics 3.5 A ‘New’ Epistemological Attitude on the Feasibility of Knowledge about the Relation Territoriality—Politics; ‘Cognitive Behavioralism’ 3.6 A More ‘Holistic’ Vision on the Role of ‘Environmental Factors’ & the Difference of Their Operation in ‘Foreign Policy Analyses’ and ‘Capacity Analyses’ 4 Three Ways in Which Harold and Margaret Sprout Influenced IR and FPA 4.1 The Work of the Sprouts as one of the Most Important Fundaments for the Coming into Being of the IR Field of ‘Comparative Foreign Policy’ (Later: Foreign Policy Analysis) 4.2 The Work of the Sprouts as Immediate Cause for the Development, within IR, of Cognitive-Behavioralist Notions as ‘Perception’ & ‘Misperception’ (Jervis) & ‘Mental Maps’ (Henrikson) 4.3 The Sprouts as Agenda-Setters within IR/FPA on ‘Ecological Questions’ 4.4 Conclusion 5 The Ontological, Epistemological and Methodological Assumptions and Traits of ‘Cognitive Geopolitics’ 6 Some Critiques on ‘Cognitive Geopolitics’ & Some Ideas on the Continued Relevance Today of the Work of Harold and Margaret Sprout 6.1 Criticism 1: A Blind Belief in Positivism (The Inclination to Approach ‘Beliefs’ in a (Solely) Quantitative Way) 6.2 Criticism 2: The a-Historical Nature of Cognitive Behavioralism 6.3 Criticism 3: “Methodological Individualism” or the Tendency to Concentrate Research on the Level of the Individual Decision Maker 6.4 Criticism 4: The Assumption That ‘Language’ forms a Transparant Medium, without Its Own Dynamics (The Inadequate Attention for ‘Inter-Subjectivity’) 6.5 The Continued Relevance Today of the Work of Harold and Margaret Sprout Bibliography 5. Analysing Geopolitical Myths: Towards a Method for Analytic Geopolitics 1 Introduction 2 Beyond the Classical/Critical Divide 3 A Structural-Historical Analysis 3.1 Constitutive Elements of Geopolitical Myths 3.2 Narrative Qualities of Geopolitical Myths 3.3 Historical Emergence and Effect 4 New Directions for Research in Geopolitics Bibliography Part 3. Empirical Studies: The Enduring Relevance of Territorially Embedded Factors in IR 6. Post-Cold War NATO Enlargement and the Geopolitical Instrumentalization of ‘Liberal Peace’ 1 Introduction 2 George Kennan and the Cold War Heritage of Containment 3 German Reunification and Controversy over NATO’s ‘Non-Expansion Pledge’ 4 Revisiting the Liberal Perception that NATO May Spread Democracy 5 NATO Enlargement Would Trigger Cold War II in Europe 6 Shortfalls of Capitalism and the Need to Redevelop Expertise on Russia 7 Germany: Quo Vadis? 8 Conclusion: Towards an Indigenous Pan-European Security Architecture Bibliography 7. The Increasing Importance of Geoeconomics in Power Rivalries: From the Past to the Present 1 Introduction 2 Geostrategy and Geoeconomics 3 Economic Factors and Power Rivalries: From the Past to the Present 4 The Contemporary Global Power Shift 5 The Strategic State and Its Geoeconomic Disposition 6 Conclusion Bibliography 8. Dangers on the Edge of the Map: Geographic Mental Maps and the Emergence of the Carter Doctrine 1 Introduction 2 Geographic Mental Maps and Foreign Policy Decision-Making 3 The Carter Administration’s Mental Maps of Africa and the Persian Gulf 3.1 The Shaba Conflict and the Turn to Africa 3.2 The Ogaden War and the Remapping of the Administration’s Regional Security Concerns 3.3 The Shaba II Conflict and the Consolidation of the Administration’s Overarching Mental Maps 4 Conclusion Bibliography 9. Mapping Greed as a Conflict Motivation: Evidence from Armed Conflicts in Sudan 1 Introduction 2 Greed Motivation as a Conflict Driver 3 Conflict Motivation Mapping 3.1 Model 3.2 The Mapping Methodology 4 Current Use of Conflict Motivation Mapping 4.1 Maps/GIS Mapping 4.2 Data Collection 5 Greed Motivation Mapping: The Case of Sudan and the SPLA-N (2011–2013) 5.1 Background 5.2 SPLA-N Discourse 5.3 Conflict Dynamics 5.4 Diplomatic Actions 6 Greed Motivation Mapping: The Case of Libya and the LNA ­ (2014–2017) 6.1 Background 6.2 LNA Discourse 6.3 Conflict Dynamics 6.4 Diplomatic Actions 7 Conclusions Bibliography 10. Regional Diplomacy: Re-Territorialisation as a Piece in the Neo-Medieval Puzzle? 1 Introduction 2 The Importance of Territoriality 3 Diplomacy in a Changing World, Changing Diplomacies? 4 The Emergence of Regional Diplomacy 5 A New Framework to Evaluate Diplomatic Changes? Neo-Medievalism 6 Neo-Medievalism & Regional Diplomacy 7 The Westphalian Myth: Historical Analogy Thinking 8 Conclusion Bibliography Part 4. Conclusions Geopolitics and International Relations: From ‘Living Apart Together’ to ‘Friends with Benefits’ 1 Western and non-Western Approaches 2 Towards a Joint Research Agenda 3 The Interaction between Geopolitics, Foreign Policy and Diplomacy 4 Geopolitics, Towards a New ‘Geographical Consciousness’ of Foreign Policy? Bibliography Index