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- 2. How do Geopolitics Help us Understand the World? • “Geopolitics is the interplay among geography, power, politics, and international relations. Geopolitics brings locational considerations, environmental contexts, territorial perspectives, and spatial assumptions to the fore.” -- de Blij 262 • Geopoltics fit into two categories: • German School: explanation why certain states are powerful and how to be become powerful • British/American School: offers strategic advice for states and explains why countries interact at the global scale the way they do
- 3. Mackinder’s Heartland Theory • Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland • Who rules the Heartland commands the World Island • Who rules the World Island commands the world
- 5. What Are Supranational Organizations? • Supranational organization: A separate entity composed of three or more states that forge an association and form an administrative structure for mutual benefit in pursuit of shared goals • Examples: • European Union • United Nations • WTO (World Trade Organization) • OPEC (Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries)
- 8. Figure 3: The Cold War era ‘Nordic balance’ West Soviet UnionNOR SWE EU DEN FIN Finland is depicted as partly falling into the Soviet Union’s sphere of influence due to the FCMA treaty that limited its external sovereignty. The Cold War era ’Nordic balance’ (II)
- 9. EU ’empire’ USA North Africa: Maghreb, energy, immigration, smuggling Middle East: Mashrek, Israeli-Palestinian conflict Turkey: Cyprus, energy transit Western CIS/NIS: energy transit, open and frozen conflicts ’Northern/Baltic Europe’: energy, frozen/open conflicts, borders Russia: energy, competing empire? USA Uzbekistan Central Asia: energy, ’matrioshka’ nationalisms and hegemonies China From northern to wider Europe and beyond: geopolitics on different levels and constellations
- 11. What is Unique about EU? • It is not a state, nor a simple organization of states (unique in this regard) • EU has multifaceted gov’t structure; three capitals (Brussels, Strasbourg, Frankfurt & the Hague) and billions in monetary flow • EU extends into foreign relations, domestic issues, military policies • States have sovereignty within the EU, but must abide by EU guidelines in order to remain a participant in the EU • EU membership is optional, but has proven to be highly sought after • There is no Constitution, but a Treaty (Treaty of Lisbon 2007) that binds member states to set standard of laws by 2009 • Parliament would be given more leeway in proposing and changing laws • A Day in the Life of a Parliamentary Member
- 12. € 2012 € 2009 € 2011
- 13. The EU Parliament Lisbon Treaty
- 14. Member Nations of the European Union 1957 blue 1973 green 1981 red 1986 yellow 1995 orange 2004 purple 2007 lavender Europe Atlantic Ocean Faroe Islands (Denmark) Norwegian Sea Iceland Sweden Finland Norway Poland Czech Rep. Hungary Slovakia Romania Ukraine Russia Belarus Moldova U.K. Ireland Spain Germany France Belgium Neth. Lux. Italy Estonia Latvia Lithuania Russia BulgariaSerbia Alb. Bos.& Herz. Mont. Greece Portugal Turkey Cyprus Mace. Croatia Slovenia Austria Liech. San Marino Monaco MaltaTunisiaAlgeriaMorocco Switz. Denmark Mediterranean Sea Greenland (Denmark) Jan Mayen (Norway)