Political Geography (routledge Contemporary Human Geography)

Political Geography Political geography has produced some of the most radical and innovative ideas in human geography in the past twenty years. The meaning and significance of traditional political subdivisions, such as the state, have had to be fundamentally re-evaluated in the face of the globalisation of society and economy and this has forced political geographers to look for new ways of explaining the dynamics of the world system. Political Geography provides a stimulating and concise introduction to the key themes of the subdiscipline, which moves beyond the study of the state to encompass the spatial consequences of power at all levels. It is divided into three sections: • Process and Patterns considers how and why societies allocate and manage territory and why exclusive control over defined areas has become such an overwhelming preoccupation. • Ideology and Geopolitical Visions looks beyond the state to evaluate critically the geopolitical strategies of successful expansionist powers that have enabled them to stamp their values and influence beyond their immediate political boundaries. • Beyond the State extends the argument further to examine the impact that globalisation has had on political structures and on political relationships across the globe. In the conclusion, the book asks whether the existing concepts and models used by political geographers are sufficiently robust to be able to contribute usefully to the analysis of the new world order in the twenty-first century. This student-friendly textbook is a valuable and accessible introduction to the broad themes of political geography. Mark Blacksell is Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of Plymouth. Routledge Contemporary Human Geography Series Series Editors: David Bell, Manchester Metropolitan University Stephen Wynn Williams, Staffordshire University This series of texts offers stimulating introductions to the core subdisciplines of human geography. Building between ‘traditional’ approaches to subdisciplinary studies and contemporary treatments of these same issues, these concise introductions respond particularly to the new demands of modular courses. Uniformly designed, with a focus on student-friendly features, these books will form a coherent series which is up-to-date and reliable. Existing Titles: Urban Geography, second edition Cultural Geography Tourism Geography Development Geography Political Geography Geographies of Globalization Routledge Contemporary Human Geography Political Geography Mark Blacksell First published 2006 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” © 2006 Mark Blacksell All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Blacksell, Mark 1942– Political geography / Mark Blacksell. p. cm. — (Routledge contemporary human geography series) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Political geography. I. Title. II. Series. JC319.B575 2005 320.1′2—dc22 2005006198 ISBN 0-203-64714-9 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-67294-1 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0–41