Political Geography

Unit Outline

I.  	Introduction to Political Geography
	(1-2 days)
	A.  	The Field of Political Geography
	B.  	Personal Shape and Territoriality
	C.  	Perceptions of the Political World
II.  	The Spatial Organization of Territory
	(5-7 days)
	A.	State, Nation, Nation - State  
	B.	The Emergence of States
	C.	Modern Theories about States
	D.	The Territory of the State
	E.	Frontiers and Boundaries
	F.	Core Areas & Capitals
	G.	Unitary, Federal, and Regional States
	H.	Stateless Political Units
 
III. 	 Geopolitics
	(2-3 days)
	A.	  Historical Concepts in Geopolitics
	B. 	 Contemporary Geopolitics- Power Relationships Among States
	C. 	 The Geography of War and Peace

IV. 	 Political Geography Within the State
	(3-5 days)
	A. 	First Order Civil Divisions
	B.	Civil Divisions of the United States
	C. 	Special Purpose Districts
	D.	The Geography of Elections
	E.  	Indigenous Peoples

V. 	 Imperialism, Colonialism and Decolonization
	(1-2 days)
	A. 	 Imperialism
		1. 	 Definition
		2.  	Types or Forms of Imperialism
			a.	 Military
			b. 	Economic
			c.	Cultural
	B.  	Colonialism
		1.  	Definition
		2.  	Types of Colonial Empires
			a.  	Overland Expansion of State (i.e., Russia, A-H, Prussia)
			b.  	Oversea Expansion (i.e., West Europe- Port, Br, Fr, Sp, 					Dutch)
			c.  	Nationalism
				i.  	Manifest Destiny
				ii.  	White Man's Burden
				iii.  	Civilizing Mission
		3. 	 Reasons for Colonization
		4. 	 Major Colonial Powers
		5.  	Colonial Practices/Policies
		6.  	Positive and Negative Effects of Colonization
		7. 	Decolonization
		8. 	Current Colonies
			a.  	Neocolonialism
			b.  	Remaining Colonies



VI.  	Contemporary International Relations
	(2-3 days)
	A.  	International Law
	B. 	International Trade
	C.  	Economic Integration
	D. 	Landlocked States
	E. 	Intergovernmental Organization
	F.  	Outlaws and Merchants of Death

VII. 	 Our Last Frontiers
	(1-2 days)
	A.  	The Law of the Sea
	B.  	The Political Geography of the Sea
	C.  	Antarctica
	D.  	Outer Space

VIII.  	The Politics of Culture and Environment
	(1-2 days)
	A. 	The Politics of Religion, Language and Ethnic Diversity
	B.  	The Politics of Transportation and Communications
	C.  	The Politics of Population, Migration and Food
	D. 	The Politics of Ecology, Energy and Land Use

IX.  	The Political Geography of the Future
	(1-2 days)

X.	Unit  Test

Unit Projects

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Political Geography
Population Geography
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Cultural Geography

 

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