Political Geography
This section of the course introduces students to the nature and significance of the political organization of territory at different scales . Students learn that political patterns reflect ideas of territoriality — how Earth’s surface should be organized — which in turn affect a wide range of exercises of power over space and boundaries . Two major themes are the political geography of the modern state and relationships between countries . Students are introduced to the different forces that shaped the evolution of the contemporary world political map . These forces include the rise of
nation-states in Europe, the influence of colonialism, the rise of supranational organizations, and devolution of states . Students learn about the basic structure of the political map, the inconsistencies
between maps of political boundaries and maps of ethnic, economic, and environmental patterns . In addition students consider some of the forces that are changing the role of individual countries in the modern world, including ethnic separatism, terrorism, economic globalization, and social and environmental problems that cross national boundaries, such as climate change . This part of the course also focuses on subnational and supranational political units . For example, at the scale
above the state, attention is directed to regional alliances, such as NATO, the European Union, ASEAN, and NAFTA . At the scale below the state, students are introduced to the ways in which electoral districts, municipalities, indigenous areas, and autonomous lands affect political, social, and economic processes .