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The word 'geopolitics' has become a buzzword in the media. It is not only central to geography but increasingly to many issues related to other disciplines such as political science, economy, law or history. The word "geopolitics" is used to characterize situations that can be extremely diverse: tensions between India and Pakistan; the Israelo-Arab conflict; nationalism in Corsica or even riots in the French 'banlieues'. These are important contemporary problems that can lead to major conflicts or political decisions with heavy consequences on a country.
Geopolitics is a method of analysis to study power rivalries on territories that are generating debates and conflicts in the contemporary world. The geopolitical approach aims at explaining a given situation as clearly as possible, without oversimplifying it. It therefore provides tools for understanding and explaining the contradictions and complexities, whether they are practical or theoretical, of a situation on a territory. It does not qualify as a new science but rather an intellectual approach which ambition is to contribute to the quality of political debates.
Geopolitical studies were born at the University of Paris 8 University out of the work of a group of teachers and students from the experimental labo of Paris 8-Vincennes in the early 1970s. The same group led by Professor Yves Lacoste founded the review Hérodote.
The first volume of the review was published in 1976 thanks to François Maspero's support. Hérodote is now the leading French review of geography and geopolitics in terms of circulation (3500 copies) and subscriptions (1200 members). The Herodote Review celebrated its 30th birthday in 2006. Yves Lacoste is still the director and the review's editorial board comprises several researchers trained at Paris 8.
In 1982, the review added a subtitle: 'Geography and Geopolitics Review', and in 1989 Paris 8 created the first Masters Degree in geopolitics. This training met an immediate and enthusiastic success; within ten years, 250 students graduated from our Masters program, 64 from our PhD program.
Today the French Institute of Geopolitics offers two Masters programs: a research option and a professional option.
Students are recruited
at a national and international scale (students come from Russia, Hungary,
Central Asia, Taiwan, Mexico, Brazil, Korea, etc...).
Our graduate program offers multidisciplinary training. Our graduate students and scholars come from various scientific backgrounds ; geography, political science, history, law, economics, etc. We consider this multidisciplinary dimension to be essential to our scientific approach of Geopolitics.
Geography, however, is central to the understanding of geopolitical conflicts since power struggles take place on territories, whether at the international, national, regional or local levels. We therefore give a solid background in spatial analysis and mapping to our students.
The French Institute
of Geopolitics is a resource for companies developing activies in regions
confronted with challenging geopolitical situations. CEOs are equally
interested in local territorial conflits that are likely to impede the
expansion of their company. Democracy and the rise of public opinion's
interest in environmental issues has created a new context in which
citizens get increasingly involved in the planning process. Decentralization
laws have widely extended the power of local public authorities and
expanded the scope of responsabilities of elected officials. They find
themselves confronted with new territorial issues which can become a
source of conflicts. Moreover, the elaboration of metropolitan governments
raises at various decision making levels. Finally, the growing role
of European Union regulations and financial policy forces local
actors into developing specific strategies in a context of exacerbated
territorial competition.
