Political Geography: An Overview

The term “political geography” is (relatively) a new term, which use has been started since the eighteenth century, but political geography as a specialized discipline came into existence much later. Especially, when understanding of its content, categories, nature, and methods started to be formed because of the accumulation of geographical knowledge and subsequent growth of political power.

However, it was Friedrich Ratzel, a German Geographer, who first used the term Politische Geographie in 1897 and that was the time, the development of political geography began. The objects of political geography, as developed, are political-territorial systems—interrelated territorial combinations of different elements of the political sphere, which include various aspects such as states and groups of state, political and administrative boundaries, national and supra-national political organizations, central and local government etc.

Meaning of Politics

Politics is characterized as the study of the type of governance, division and distribution of powers among the government, use of powers to ensure good governance in the society, and techniques and process of making government. The scholars and researchers of political science, history, and sociology study politics to understand how societies are governed and how power is distributed, as well as to analyze the impact of political decisions on various strata and aspects of society.

Meaning of Political Geography

Political geography is an interdisciplinary branch of human geography, which is concerned with all sorts of humans and their activities, which are related to making and running government and a political system in a judicious manner. It explores and emphasizes on the spatial distribution of political powers and the ways in which politics shape and are shaped by geographical features.

Richard Hartshorne, a prominent American geographer, defined political geography as “the study of the areal differences and similarities in political character as an interrelated part of the total complex of areal differences and similarities”.

Likewise, the discipline is concerned with the spatial interaction between political and geographical space and phenomena, and one of the most vital issues concerns the ‘space’ of the subject on the spectrum between geography and political science.

Scope and Branches of Political Geography

Political geography is a sub-discipline of geography that focuses on the spatial distribution of political power, as well as the interactions between political processes and the physical and human environment.

So, some of the major branches and study areas of political geography are −

• Geopolitics − This branch of political geography studies the political and strategic implications of geographic space. Geopolitical analysis seeks to understand the ways in which geographic factors such as borders, resources, and terrain influence the distribution of political power and the conduct of international relations.

• Electoral geography − This branch of political geography studies the voter behaviors, geographical patterns of election results, and political participation. Further, electoral geography also analyzes the impact of geographic factors such as population distribution, urbanization, and regional identity on political outcomes.

• Political ecology − This branch of political geography studies the interactions between political processes and the natural environment. In addition, political ecologists examine how political decisions affect the use and management of natural resources, as well as how environmental issues shape political agendas and policy-making.

• Border studies − This branch of political geography studies the physical and symbolic aspects of borders, including their role in defining and regulating political territories, managing migration, and shaping cultural identity.

• Critical geopolitics − This branch of political geography emphasizes on the study of the ways in which political power is constructed, contested, and represented through discourse and cultural symbols. Further, critical geopoliticians examine the role of language, imagery, and narrative in shaping public perceptions of political issues and constructing geopolitical identities.

Nature of Political Geography

Political geography is a highly diverse and dynamic field that encompasses a wide range of theoretical and empirical approaches. At its core, political geography is concerned with understanding the spatial distribution of power and the ways in which political processes interact with the physical and human environment.

Likewise, its nature can be described as:

• Political geography is largely focuses on the study of a state and its characteristics.

• Political geography focuses spatial pattern of state and its affairs and tries to understand and answer for the pattern’s differentiation in different geographic regions.

• With the growing demands and application, geopolitics has become one of the most discussed aspects of political geography.

• Political geography originally made use of the organic approach to study its subject matter, but over period in time, functional and morphological approaches also came into existence.

• Political geography is one of the most dynamic branch which is changing with time; recently, green politics is developed which major concern is recognizing the value and existence of natural environment and ensuring its protection.

• Because of the interdisciplinary approach, political geographers analyze complex social and political phenomena from multiple perspectives, and to develop nuanced and comprehensive understandings of the ways in which power operates in different contexts.

• Political geographers examine the ways in which geography influences political decision-making, policy outcomes, and the distribution of power and resources.

• Last but not the least, political geographers often work on topics such as international conflict, environmental policy, migration, and urban development, and they use their research to inform policy-making and public debate.

Importance of Political Geography

Political geography is an important field of study because it provides insights into the ways in which power operates in different contexts and in different geographic regions. Further, it explains, how political processes interact with the physical and human environment.

So, following are some of the key reasons that define why political geography is important to study −

• Understanding the local and national governance and political system −

• Helps in understanding the policy-making −

• Helps in understanding the international relations −

• Helps in understanding the social and economic inequalities −

• Helps in designing sustainable development strategy −

• Helps in understanding migration and mobility −

Conclusion

Likewise, in today’s context, political geography is very important because it provides a spatial perspective on political processes and helps to explain the ways in which power operates in different geographic regions. By understanding the spatial dimensions of political phenomena, policymakers and analysts can develop more effective policies and strategies to manage conflicts and promote sustainable development.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is father of political geography?

Though the concept of political geography has been developed over long period of time and expanded various scholars throughout history worked on it. So, it is difficult to attribute the title of "father of political geography" to one particular individual. However, one of the most prominent figures in the early development of political geography was Friedrich Ratzel, a German geographer. Ratzel is often credited with being one of the first scholars to apply the principles of Darwinian evolution to the study of human societies and their relationship to the natural environment.

What is an example of state?

Prima facie, a state is a political entity that has a defined territory, population, with a government that exercises authority and is recognized by other states as having sovereignty or independence.

So, the examples of states include India, UK, the United States, France, China, Japan, Brazil, and many others.