| Kommentar |
The role of geography in power projection has been recognized since ancient times. With the advent of mechanized transportation, industrialized nations were able to significantly extend their reach, create colonies, and engage in intercontinental warfare. Yet the "tyranny of distance" still limits power projection and contributes to state fragmentation and civil conflict.
Geography offers an encompassing but fuzzy framework for conceptualizing the historical origins of international power, economic inequality, and the limitations of power projection. Empirically, the recent dissemination of spatial data and methodological innovation pave the way for novel research designs. In this seminar, students will become acquainted with both classic and contemporary literature on political geography with an emphasis on peace and conflict studies. Moreover, methodological foundations of spatial research designs will be introduced and exemplified in contemporary research. |
| Literatur |
Diamond: “Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies”, W.W. Norton & Company, 1999
Whittlesey: “The Earth and the State”, Henry Holt, 1944
Lemke: “The Tyranny of Distance: Redefining Relevant Dyads”, International Interactions, 1995
Scott: “The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia”, Yale University Press, 2009 |
