Political and Economic Geography 2104-UPIR-D1PEGE

1. Introduction to the course
2. Historical background of the concept of geopolitics and geoeconomics and its influence on the development of political and economic geography. Main geopolitical and geoeconomical doctrines
3. Changes in the world map: geographical discoveries, World War I and World War II, process of decolonisation, fall of communism. Current geopolitical map of the world.
4. State. The concept of the nation-state. The concept of the border, its types and functions. Variability limits. Areas, sea and air borders. Capitals, state names, state symbols. State and political systems. Concept of fragile state.
5. International organizations: economic, military-political organizations, more important regional organizations.
6. Demographic problems of the world: population explosion and food shortages, races and nations, minorities, languages in the world, causes, effects and trends of contemporary migration, causes of urbanization, the social, economic and political expansion of big cities.
7. Major religious systems. Distribution of followers of major religions on the world map. Correlation of major religious centers with the political and military situation. The clash of civilizations concept - arguments for and against.
8. Economic power of states - measurement and application. Raw material resources and transport systems. Economic globalization and regionalization. Economic powers. Main economic problems and challenges.
9. Current challenges: world food problems, water and raw materials - their distribution. International debt. Environmental pollution - energy policy. Pandemic and epidemic diseases. Conflicts and threats: the problem of disarmament; technology development.
10. Mapping global conflict.