Objectives of Programme's Learning Outcomes

• Understand the fundamentals (theories and tools) in human and social sciences
• Identify and explain the basic theoretical trends in various fields of human sciences (law, economics, management, history, psychology, etc.) and their applications.
• Master knowledge from disciplines within social and human sciences.
• Identify and explain the basic theories in political sciences and social sciences.
• Understand the tools and methods adapted to these disciplines.
• Master the principles and methodologies of scientific approaches applicable in the disciplines within social and human sciences
• Conduct relevant research from scientific literature on a particular research topic.
• Give a critique and argue a point of view as part of a scientific approach
• Appropriately collect, analyse and interpret empirical data on issues within social and human sciences.
• Understand and implement tools and methods for collecting qualitative data.
• Communicate in a clear, structured and justified manner on issues related to human and social sciences
• Communicate, both orally and in writing, on issues related to human and social sciences.
• Demonstrate analytical skills.

Learning Outcomes of UE

At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- to restore the major theories of geopolitics.
-to understand the challenges of this discipline

UE Content: description and pedagogical relevance

Geopolitics can be presented as the study of the effects of geography, both physical and human, on international politics and international relations. It is a partly prospective discipline insofar as it seeks to understand, explain and predict international political behavior through geographical (climate, topography, natural resources, demography) and cultural (civilization) variables. It tries to explain the formation and action of political powers in space, but also to analyze the importance of geography on socio-political situations. This discipline emerged during the 19th century, when its first theorists sought to understand the role of space in the development of state power.
First, I will define what geopolitics is, its main concepts (such as "thalassocracy", "continental powers", "Heartland", "clash of civilizations", etc.) and its conditions of emergence at the end of the 19th century, in particular the role of nationalism. I will then show that this discipline has evolved a lot, between its first theorizations and its current content, from the purely geographical to the culturalist approach, in particular linguistic and religious, and civilizational. I will also return, through a series of examples, to its importance in understanding conflicts.
Secondly, I will return to its main theoreticians, whose doctrines are sometimes opposed or contradictory, such as Rudolf Kjellen, Friedrich Ratzel, Karl Haushofer, Carl Schmitt, Halford MacKinder, Yves Lacoste, Samuel Huntington, etc., showing that this discipline, if it has been mobilized by totalitarian regimes like National Socialism, has also been theorized by democratic powers. This was the case, for example, in the United States during the Cold War, with Kissinger and Brzeziński, and after that, with Huntington.
Finally, this course will focus on studying concrete cases, so that students can appropriate the concepts and the role of power relations in situations of conflict, but also of peace. These will include the Middle East, China or the ideological and geopolitical underpinnings of the war in Ukraine. It will also be interested in more geographical issues, but of international importance, such as the issue of water and its control. This list is not exhaustive.
The evaluation of this teaching will consist of a written work, relating to a question of geopolitics of the student's choice. It will be a question of evaluating the acquired knowledge of the student, in particular with regard to the concepts and the important stakes of the discipline.

Prior Experience

Not applicable