MVZ808 Geopolitics

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2008
Extent and Intensity
0/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Břetislav Dančák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Timetable
Fri 12. 12. 10:00–11:40 U42
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course is intended as an introduction of the geopolitics as the one of the first „grand theories“ of the International Relations. The course makes students familiar with the historical development of conception of the geopolitics from its first using by R. Kjellen to the present. It will also provide knowledge of the methodological principles of the theory. At the end of the course, students should be able to have adequate information basis to study geopolitics. Students should understand the main differences between individual schools of geopolitical thinking.
Syllabus
  • 1) Opening session 2) Geopolitics and political geography. 3) German „Geopolitik“ 4) F. Ratzel, K. Haushofer – „Lebensraum“ and the rights for the natural political boudaries. 5) Anglo-Saxon „Geopolitics“ 6) A. T. Mahan – dichotomy between land and sea power 7) Reading week 8) Written intrasemestral test 9) N. Spykman – Rimland 10) French geopolitical thinking 11) Russian geopolitical thinking – A.P.Tsygankov 12) Case study – SSSR 13) Case study - USA 14) Final exam
Literature
  • Geopolitical traditions : a century of geopolitical thought. Edited by Klaus Dodds - David Atkinson. London: Routledge, 2000, xvi, 392. ISBN 0415172497. info
  • Krauthammer, Ch.: The unipolar moment revisited. The National Interest, Winter 2002/03
  • Tsygankov, A., P.: Mastering Space in Eurasia: Russian Geopolitical Thinking after the Soviet Break-Up, Communist and Post-Communist Studies, Vol. 35, No. 1. (2003)
  • Hartshorne, R.: Recent Developments in Political Geography I. American Political Science Review, Vol. 29, No. 5 (Oct. 1935)
  • Schnitzer, E., W.: German Geopolitics Revived, Journal of Politics, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Aug. 1955)
Assessment methods
Graded credit is based upon the continuous point evaluation throughout the course, thus it is vital the actively participate on the seminars and pass the in-term and the final test. Only students, who received the graded credit, will be allowed to sit the final examination. The course grade consists of the following parts: active participations on seminars, position papers, written intrasemestral test, test and final written exam test. Detailed syllabus (incl. evaluations criteria) is available on IS MU web.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2008/MVZ808