The Concept and Theories of Geopolitics

Imad A. Moosa

Chapter 3 in Understanding the Geopolitics of Foreign Direct Investment, 2026, pp 57-80 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Geopolitics, a loose synonym for international political relations, is the study of how geography influences politics and international relations, providing a framework for understanding the factors that determine the allocation of global (geopolitical) power. The concept lies in the proposition that geography plays a role in international relations by giving some countries an advantage over, and making them more powerful than, others. Today, geography (in the narrow sense of location) is not as an important source of geopolitical power as it used to be. Geopolitics is neither harmless nor benign because it causes wars, both hot and cold. The return of Donald Trump to the White House as Trump 2.0 provides support for both Alfred Mahan (in his emphasis on the control of critical sea routes) and Friedrich Ratzel, who believed that countries are organic and growing, with borders representing only a temporary stop in their movement.

Keywords: Geopolitics; Geoeconomics; Mahan's theory of geopolitics; Mackinder's theory of geopolitics; Modern theories of geopolitics; Marxist theory of geopolitics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035361526
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