Geopolitics Class Notes

Class Introduction

  • Visual Teaching Style: The instructor prefers a visual approach to teaching, indicating potential deviations from the lecture slides.
  • Geopolitics Class Confirmation: Confirmed the class's focus on geopolitics.

Current Geopolitical Era

  • Reflecting on History: The discussion was prompted by the song History Repeating by Propellerheads featuring Shirley Bassey.
  • Vivian Balakrishnan's Speech:
    • Addressed big powers engaging in global affairs with a more transactional approach.
    • Discussed:
    • Profound Shifts: Big power rivalry and a multipolar world.
    • Political Dynamics: Increasing autarky, fractioning global supply chains, and rising xenophobia.
    • Breakdown of the Liberal Order: Shift from free trade to protectionism, multilateralism to unilateralism.
    • Long-term Changes: Stressed that these shifts represent a long-term geopolitical climate change, not a temporary issue.

Assignment Reminder

  • Assignment 1: Focus on the Berlin Wall and geopolitical borders.
  • Submission Deadline: Next Wednesday at 6 PM.

Concept of Political Territoriality

  • Introduction to Political Territoriality: Defined as the political organization of space.
  • Example: The US-Mexico border illustrating clear territorial demarcation.
  • Childhood Analogy:
    • Example of two children in a kitchen where rules define territoriality (safety, access).
  • The Role of Authority: The parents establish control over space through rules, signifying territoriality as an essential organization principle.

Territoriality in Different Contexts

  • Human Territoriality: Can manifest in many forms, from everyday settings to geopolitical implications.
  • Examples:
    • Animal Territoriality: Briefly mentioned the concept of territoriality in animals.
    • In Singapore: Public property and access; impacts of health emergencies (like COVID-19) on territorial organization.

Key Attributes of Territoriality

  1. Classification by Geographic Area: Defining space as 'ours' or 'theirs'.
  2. Communication: The glass barrier in the lecture hall as a representation of defining space and influence.
  3. Control: Presence of governance and legal frameworks to regulate actions within territories.

Power and Territoriality

  • Territoriality as a Reifying Power: The example of transitioning from Singapore laws to Malaysian laws upon crossing borders.
  • Implied Jurisdiction: Territoriality can obscure questions of governance, law, and authority, allowing states to maintain control without constant physical presence.

Military Bases and Territoriality

  • US Military Bases: Represent extraterritoriality, extending the power of the US in foreign lands.
  • Prison Design: The panopticon model as a historical example of how design influences control within territories.

Apartheid as a Form of Territoriality

  • Discussed the historical context of apartheid in South Africa, marked by strict segregation based on racial lines.
  • Highlighted the legacy of racialized politics and territorial control in modern contexts.

Territorial Sovereignty and National Identity

  • National Service: Discusses the concept of dying for one's country, establishing emotional ties to territorial defense.
  • Territorial integrity referenced in contemporary geopolitical conflicts (e.g., Cyprus, Kashmir).

Case Studies of Territorial Conflicts

  1. Siachen Glacier: Example of extreme conditions in a long-running military dispute between India and Pakistan. Discussed the geopolitical significance and human sacrifice involved.
  2. South China Sea Disputes: Countries claiming rights over territories, particularly focusing on the construction of artificial islands to establish claims.
    • Video Example: A report on the Spratly Islands demonstrating the ongoing conflict over territorial claims.

Territoriality in the West Bank

  • Architecture of Occupation: Reference to Eyal Weitzman's work emphasizing territorial expansion through architecture in the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
  • Diverse Political Claims: The complexities of control and management of space, roads, and settlements.

Buffer Zones and Personal Experience

  • Cyprus as Testament: Personal narrative about conducting research in the divided city of Nicosia.
  • States in Conflict: The absurdity and impact of political division on everyday life and territorial claims.

Discussion on Future Tutorials

  • Upcoming Tutorials: A reminder about tutorial objectives and discussions on the territoriality concepts explored in the lecture.

Conclusion

  • Suggested viewing materials and readings for a comprehensive understanding of territoriality and its implications in geopolitics.