Identifying Data 2024/25
Subject (*) Political Geography Code 710G05004
Study programme
Grao en Relacións Internacionais
Descriptors Cycle Period Year Type Credits
Graduate 1st four-month period
First Basic training 6
Language
English
Teaching method Face-to-face
Prerequisites
Department Humanidades
Coordinador
Armas Dieguez, Pedro Ramon
E-mail
pedro.armas@udc.es
Lecturers
Armas Dieguez, Pedro Ramon
E-mail
pedro.armas@udc.es
Web http://http://https://humanidades.udc.es
General description O obxectivo principal desta materia é a aplicabilidade dos conceptos teóricos na análise dos problemas xeopolíticos. Este materia busca tamén a familiarización cos temas máis actuais en xeografía política e, finalmente, unha comprensión básica das ferramentas e os recursos utilizados na súa investigación.

Competencies / Study results
Code Study programme competences / results
A1 CE1 - To analyze information related to international sources and events in complex geopolitical, economic and legal contexts, in person or online.
A2 CE2 - To understand the structure, powers and functioning of international institutions and organizations, as well as their relationships with other state and non-state actors.
A3 CE3 - To know the concepts, theories and techniques applied to the analysis of the actors and international relations, both in the universal and in the regional field, with a perspective both historical and contemporary.
A5 CE5 - To understand and analyze globalization processes, relocation dynamics and alternative strategies.
A7 CE7 - To analyze the global reality in its different dimensions, in particular the geographical, political, social, economic and legal.
A8 CE8 - To be able to apply scientific methodology to social, political, economic and legal challenges with an international element.
A10 CE10 - To acquire knowledge of the techniques, working methods and analysis of the humanities, social and legal sciences.
A11 CE11 - To analyze the political, social and economic reality in the framework of international development cooperation.
B1 CB1 - To demonstrate that students demonstrate knowledge and understanding in an area of ??study that is part of the foundation of general secondary education, and is usually found at a level that, although supported by advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects involving knowledge from avant-garde of his field of study.
B3 CB3 - That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of ??study) to make judgments that include reflection on relevant topics of a social, scientific, or ethical nature.
B4 CB4 - That students can share information, ideas, problems and solutions with both specialized and non-specialized audiences.
B5 CB5 - That students develop those learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.
B6 CG1 - To appreciate diversity and multiculturalism.
B7 CG2 - To acquire the ability to work in an international context.
B8 CG3 - To identify essential aspects of cultures and customs of other countries.
B9 CG4 - To be trained in problem solving.
B10 CG5 - To acquire basic general knowledge.
B11 CG6 - To acquire the ability to organize and plan.
B12 CG7 - To acquire the ability to make decisions.
B13 CG8 - To be trained in project design and management.
B14 CG9 - To acquire the ability to adapt to new situations.
C1 CT1 - To dominate the expression, both orally and in writing, in the official languages ??of the Autonomous Community.
C2 CT2 - To defend oneself in a foreign language and express oneself correctly orally and in writing.
C3 CT3 - To use the basic tools of information and communication technologies (ICT) necessary for the exercise of their profession and for lifelong learning.
C4 CT4 - To develop for the exercise of a citizenship respectful with the democratic culture, the human rights and the perspective of gender, in the distinct fields of knowledge and in the professional practice, with the aim to achieve a more just and egalitarian society.
C7 CT7 - To develop the ability to work in interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary teams, to offer proposals that contribute to sustainable environmental, economic, political and social development.
C8 CT8 - To assess the importance of research, innovation and technological development in the socio-economic and cultural advancement of society.
C9 CT9 - To have the ability to manage time and resources: develop plans, prioritize activities, identify criticism, set deadlines and meet them.

Learning aims
Learning outcomes Study programme competences / results
To strengthen the analytical capacity of the territory to understand the connections between politics and economy in a globalized world. To encourage critical capacity to diagnose geopolitical problems and to provide alternative solutions. To promote involvement in the geopolitical problems of other latitudes, democratic commitment, solidarity and cooperation. A1
A2
A3
A5
A7
A8
A10
A11
B1
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8
B9
B10
B11
B12
B13
B14
C1
C2
C3
C4
C7
C8
C9

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
1. Evolution of geopolitical thought
1.1. Foundations of Political Geography
1.2. From living space to global revolution
2. The Nation-State and other international actors
2.1. Nation, nationalism and geopolitics
3. Contemporary transformations in the world political map 3.1. 19th century political map
3.2. 20th century political map
4. Power and economy in the world geopolitical system 4.1. Geopolitics and the great powers: USA/Russia
5. Strategies of dependency and domination in the globalization process
5.1. China geopolitics
5.2. Latin America geopolitics
6. The geography of violence 6.1. Conflict analysis in Africa
6.2. Conflict analysis in the Middle East
7. Boundary and territorial disputes
7.1. Inherited conflicts
7.2. Current conflicts

Planning
Methodologies / tests Competencies / Results Teaching hours (in-person & virtual) Student’s personal work hours Total hours
Guest lecture / keynote speech A2 A1 A3 A5 A7 A8 A10 A11 B6 B7 B9 B8 B10 C4 C8 20 17.5 37.5
Case study A5 A7 A10 A11 B3 B4 B5 B7 B11 B12 B13 B14 C1 C2 C3 C4 C7 C9 15 40 55
Supervised projects A5 A7 A10 A11 B3 B4 B5 B7 B11 B12 B13 B14 B1 C1 C2 C3 C4 C7 C9 15 35 50
Mixed objective/subjective test A2 A1 A3 A5 A7 A8 A11 B3 B4 B5 B6 B1 C1 C2 2.5 0 2.5
 
Personalized attention 5 0 5
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies Description
Guest lecture / keynote speech Oral presentation complemented with the use of audiovisual media and the introduction of some questions addressed to students to transmit knowledge and facilitate learning. Also known as "expository method" or "master class". This last modality usually reserves a special type of lesson given by a teacher on special occasions, with a content that supposes an original elaboration and based on the almost exclusive use of the word as a means of transmitting information to the audience.
Case study The case study on political geography aims to: encourage inductive and deductive reasoning, establish hypotheses, refute paradigms, confirm spatial theories, propose solutions... Case studies related to the content of the subject and the oral presentation of those indicated by the teacher will be carried out.
Supervised projects Methodology designed to promote autonomous learning of students, under the teacher's supervision in different scenarios. It focus primarily on learning "how to do things." It constitutes an option based on the assumption of responsibility by students for their own learning. This teaching system is based on two basic elements: independent learning of students and learning monitored by the teacher in charge of the project. Supervised projects related to the content of the subject and oral presentation of those projects indicated by the teacher will be carried out.
Mixed objective/subjective test Mixed exam with essay questions and obxective questions, in order to evaluate the synthesis capacity (for example, definition of concepts), and the analysis capacity (for example, text or graphic comment).


Personalized attention
Methodologies
Case study
Supervised projects
Guest lecture / keynote speech
Description
Personal attention is available as a result of the difficulties that may arise in understanding the theoretical content and in achieving the objectives of the case studies and supervised projects. The aim of this personal attention is to solve the difficulties raised from the readings and to expand the basic bibliography, with the aim of improving the specific skills.

Assessment
Methodologies Competencies / Results Description Qualification
Case study A5 A7 A10 A11 B3 B4 B5 B7 B11 B12 B13 B14 C1 C2 C3 C4 C7 C9 It is part of the continuous assesment developed through the collaborative learning achieved in the classroom and that results in carrying out as many case studies throughout the course as the teacher deems most appropriate. Written exercices evaluation criteria: adjustment of the written exercise to the instructions, formal quality, quality and creativity of the contents, breadth and relevance of the sources of information used. Oral presentation evaluation criteria: adjustment of the presentation to the instructions, quality and creativity of the contents of the presentation, breadth and relevance of the sources of information used, quality of the answers in the question time that will follow the presentation. An active participation in class activities to get the maximum advantages out of the lessons is mandatory. 20
Mixed objective/subjective test A2 A1 A3 A5 A7 A8 A11 B3 B4 B5 B6 B1 C1 C2 On the official scheduled date, a written mixed objective/subjective test on the contents of the subject will be held. Evaluation criteria: knowledge of theoretical contents, capacity to apply theoretical contents to practical cases, level of achievement of the competencies included in the course outline, analytical and synthetic skills, vocabulary range and accuracy, stylistic and grammatical correction. 40
Supervised projects A5 A7 A10 A11 B3 B4 B5 B7 B11 B12 B13 B14 B1 C1 C2 C3 C4 C7 C9 It is part of the continuous assesment developed through the collaborative learning achieved in the classroom and that results in carrying out as many supervised projects related to the content of the subject throughout the course as the teacher deems most appropriate. Written exercices evaluation criteria: adjustment of the written exercise to the instructions, formal quality, quality and creativity of the contents, breadth and relevance of the sources of information used. Oral presentation assessment criteria: adjustment of the presentation to the instructions, quality and creativity of the contents of the presentation, breadth and relevance of the sources of information used, quality of the answers in the question time that will follow the presentation. An active participation in class activities to get the maximum advantages out of the lessons is mandatory. 40
 
Assessment comments

This subject follows the continuous
assessment system. An active participation in class activities to get the
maximum advantages out of the lessons is mandatory. The assessment requirements
are the same for all the assessment opportunities, including the early
assessment. The final grade will be obtained adding the score obtained in the
practical part + the score obtained in the Mixed objective/subjective test.
Although this subject, as indicated, follows criteria of continuous assessment,
the students who want to renounce continuous assessment will have the right to
choose a global evaluation system, always within the same evaluation
opportunity. This global evaluation will consist of a final mixed test on the
subject's contents and will be awarded a maximum score of 10 points, and the
minimum score required to pass the subject will be 5 points. Students are
reminded that the use of all aids or devices in the final exam is strictly
forbidden. The use of any unauthorised aids will automatically result in a
failing grade (0). All dishonest practices (including, but not limited to,
plagiarism, cheating in exams, etc.) will be penalised pursuant to article 14
of the University of A Coruña’s academic regulations (Normas de avaliación,
revisión e reclamación das cualificacións dos estudos de grao e mestrado
universitario).


Sources of information
Basic Short, J.R. (1993). An Introduction to Political Geography (2nd edition). London: Routledge
Copinsch, P.; Durand, M. F.;Martin, B. & Placidi, D. (2008). Atlas de la globalización. Comprender el espacio mundial contemporáneo.. Valencia: Universitat de Valencia
Tertrais, B. & Papin, D. (2021). Atlas de las fronteras. Muros, conflictos, migraciones. Madrid: Ediciones Cátedra
Chaliand,G (2004). Atlas del nuevo orden mundial. Madrid: Paidós
Gresh,A.; Radvanyl,J. ;Rekacewicz,P.; Samary,C. & Vidal,D. (2006). El Atlas de Le Monde diplomatique. Valencia:Cybermonde
Le Monde Diplomatique (2013). El Atlas. Conflictos de fronteras . Valencia:Cybermonde
Le Monde Diplomatique (2012). El Atlas. Nuevas potencias emergentes. Valencia:Cybermonde
Méndez,R. (2011). El nuevo mapa geopolítico del mundo. Valencia: Tirant lo Blanc
López,L. & Benito del Pozo,P. (1999). Geografía política. Madrid:Cátedra
Sánchez, J.E. (1999). Geografía política. Madrid: Síntesis
Nogué i Font, J. & Vicente, J (2001). Geopolítica, identidad y globalización. Barcelona: Ariel
Martín,E.M. & López-Davalillo, J. (2017). Geopolítica. Claves para entender un mundo cambiante (2ª edición). Madrid: Editorial Universitaria Ramón Areces
Wallerstein, I. (1991). Geopolitics and Geoculture Essays on the Changing World-System. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Dodds, K. (2019). Geopolitics. A Very Short Introduction (3rd edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press
Agnew, J (2003). Geopolitics. Re-visioning World Politics (2nd edition). London: Routledge
Flint, C. (2021). Introduction to Geopolitics. London: Routledge
Reinert, E.S. (2007). La globalización de la pobreza cómo se enriquecieron los países ricos...y por qué los países pobres siguen siendo pobres. Barcelona: Crítica
Flint,C. & Taylor, P.J. (2018). Political Geography World-Economy, Nation-State and Locality (7th edition). New York: Routledge
Buzan, B. & Wæber, O (2003). Regions and Powers. The Structure of International Security. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Harvey, D (2001). Spaces of Capital: Towards a Critical Geography. New York: Routledge
Cox, K. R.; Low, M. & Robinson, J. (2007). The Sage Handbook of Political Geography (1st edition). London: SAGE Publications

Complementary Agnew, J. & Toal G. (2003). A Companion to Political Geography. Oxford: Blackwell
Ó Tuathail G. (1996). Critical geopolitics: the politics of writing global space (1st edition). London: Routledge
Gray, C.S. & Sloan, G. (1999). Geopolitics, Geography and Strategy (1st edition). London: Routledge
Agnew, J. & Crobridge,S. (1995). Mastering Space Hegemony, Territory and International Political Economy. (1st edition). London: Routledge
O’Tuathail, G.; Dalby, S. y Routledge,P. (1998). Rethinking geopolitics. London: Routledge
Gregory, D.; Johnston, R.; Pratt, G.; Watts, M.J. & Whatmore, S. (2009). The Dictionary of Human Geography (5th edition). London: Wiley
O’Tuathail, G.; Dalby, S. y Routledge,P. (2006). The Geopolitics Reader (2nd edition). London: Routledge

WEBSITES WITH USEFUL INFORMATION / SITIOS WEB CON INFORMACIÓN DE UTILIDADE / SITIOS WEB CON INFORMACIÓN DE UTILIDAD 

OTHER WEBSITES WITH  ADDITONAL INFORMATION / OTROS SITIOS WEB CON INFORMACIÓN ADICIONAL / OTROS SITIOS WEB CON INFORMACIÓN ADICIONAL:


Recommendations
Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously
Geodemography/710G05005

Subjects that continue the syllabus

Other comments


(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.