In a globalised world, geopolitics is becoming increasingly important, and is a topical term that is used more and more frequently by the media and on social media. This is because it is a method of study used to understand, explain and analyse how political behaviour is unfolding at an international level, taking into account various geographical variables. It is, therefore, a discipline that has grown in significance over time.
Geopolitics focuses on the study of various political events occurring worldwide, as well as the effects these events have on society. To achieve its objectives more effectively, geopolitics draws on a range of other disciplines, including international relations, sociology, economics, history, political science and geography.
In short, geopolitics covers a broad spectrum, ranging from the study of territorial borders to the significance of certain natural resources – such as oil – in relation to a country’s foreign relations.
It is increasingly common for the term ‘geopolitics’ to be used to refer to other related disciplines, such as international relations.
The geopolitical analyst plays a vital role in delving into the broad scope of this discipline; it is a necessary profession in a globalised world, enabling us to understand, explain and analyse how both physical and human geography influence politics. For this reason, higher education programmes in geopolitics offer curricula designed to provide society with geopolitical experts who can effectively fulfil this role, which is of the utmost importance and significance for international relations.
The origins of geopolitics
There are various views on the origins of geopolitics. For some, this discipline emerged in 1899, thanks to a Swedish geographer. Others, however, trace its origins to 1905, attributed to political scientists of German origin. What is known for certain is that it was not until 1930 that this concept began to gain prominence.
In fact, it was during the Nazi era that the German Karl Haushofer introduced new ways of viewing and studying geopolitics, thereby modernising the discipline. Geopolitics was used to formulate the strategy adopted by the Nazis during the Second World War. This association led to it being linked with Adolf Hitler, as a result of which it fell out of use.
It was in the 1970s that geopolitics re-emerged on the political scene. On the one hand, there was critical geopolitics, championed by the English school (Yves Lacoste). On the other hand, there was the French school championed by Peter Taylor. It was these two schools that truly succeeded in reawakening global interest in this discipline.
What is the aim of geopolitics?
Its main objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of a country, whilst also guiding the political situation at both national and international levels. Furthermore, it seeks to foster a sense of national historical consciousness, aiming to predict future situations that might affect the country.
In turn, geopolitics intertwines with history when seeking to understand how we have arrived at this point, as well as to analyse the reasons behind certain historical events.
The significance of geopolitics in the business world
The techniques used in geopolitical analysis are increasingly being adopted by businesses, with the aim of adapting them to business strategy. In fact, many firms utilise the ‘benefits’ of this discipline in order to expand. Geopolitics is of great use to them in analysing the situation in each country, as well as in gaining a deeper understanding of the evolution of various international relations that could prove decisive for their business. Consequently, specialists in geopolitics have a wide range of interesting career opportunities at their fingertips.
Geopolitics is, therefore, a discipline that also contributes to strategic decision-making in the fields of international relations and macroeconomics, amongst many other areas.
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