Political Geography Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts and vocabulary from the lecture on Political Geography.

Political Geography

A sub-division of human geography concerned with the relationship between geographical factors and political entities.

International Theory

A tradition of speculation about the society of states.

Political Theory

Speculation about the state, exemplified by the case of the European Union.

Geopolitics

A field of geography examining the relationship between geographical space and political processes.

Heartland Theory

A theory suggesting that major powers control the land and not the seas.

Rimaland Theory

A theory proposing that continental margins have access to islands and continental interiors.

Containment Theory

A geopolitical strategy to prevent the expansion of an adversary.

Lebensraum

The idea of 'living space,' originally used in Ratzel's organic state theory advocating territorial expansion.

National Interest

The goals and ambitions of a nation-state, including economic, military, and cultural objectives.

Ethnocentrism

The evaluation of other cultures based on the standards of one's own culture, often leading to biased perspectives.

Supernationalism

A condition that transcends national boundaries leading to increased dependence on foreign political partners.

Colonialism

The control by European states over much of the world to establish settlements and impose political, economic, and cultural principles.