Colin Flint - Introduction to Geopolitics

Third Edition

This new updated edition of Introduction to Geopolitics presents the overarching themes of geopolitical structures and agents in an engaging and accessible manner, which requires no previous knowledge of theory or current affairs.

Using new pertinent case studies and guided exercises, the title explains the contemporary global power of the United States and the challenges it is facing, the persistence of nationalist conflicts, migration, cyberwar, terrorism, and environmental geopolitics. Case studies of the rise of the so-called Islamic State, the South China Sea disputes, the Syrian civil war, the Korean conflict, and IsraelPalestine emphasize the multi-faceted nature of conflict. The book raises questions by incorporating international and long-term historical perspectives and introduces readers to different theoretical viewpoints, including feminist contributions. The new edition features expanded sections on network geopolitics and non-state actors, a new section on geopolitics of transnational business, cyberwar, an interpretation of ISIS within historical geopolitical trends, as well as expanded discussion of the relevance of Boserup and neo-Malthusians to environmental geopolitics.

Introduction to Geopolitics will provide its readers with a set of critical analytical tools for understanding the actions of states as well as non-state actors operating in competition over resources and power. Both students and general readers will find this book an essential stepping stone to a deeper and critical understanding of contemporary conflicts.

Colin Flint is a Professor in the Department of Political Science, Utah State University, USA. He is author of Geopolitical Constructs, a co-author, with Peter Taylor, of Political Geography: World-Economy, Nation-State and Locality, and a co-editor of the journal Geopolitics.

Third Edition

Colin Flint

Third edition published 2017
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2017 Colin Flint

The right of Colin Flint to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

First edition published by Routledge 2006
Second edition published by Routledge 2012

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
Names: Flint, Colin, 1965 author.
Title: Introduction to geopolitics / Colin Flint.
Description: Third edition. | Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa Business, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016019448| ISBN 9781138192157 (hardback: alk. paper) | ISBN 9781138192164 (pbk.: alk. paper) | ISBN 9781315640044 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: GeopoliticsTextbooks.
Classification: LCC JC319 .F55 2017 | DDC 320.1/2dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016019448

ISBN: 978-1-138-19215-7 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-19216-4 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-64004-4 (ebk)

Typeset in Times New Roman
by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong

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. I am very grateful for her skill, innovation, and vision.

Special thanks to Steve Radil for his suggestions regarding the reorganization of , and to Hannah Penner for her thoughtful reading of the manuscript and the many editorial suggestions. I am also very grateful to Egle Zigaite at Routledge for her careful stewardship of the book through its many stages. Also, a huge thank you to Andrew Mould for coming up with the idea of the first edition. I would also like to thank the reviewers of the second edition who took their time to offer thoughtful and very helpful comments and suggestions for this edition. I am surprised and flattered by the global appeal of this book, and to those who have translated it into different languages, especially Akihiko Takagi, Takashi Yamazaki, and Myongsob Kim. Thanks to Vincent Filicetti for helping me find and collect data that has remained from the previous editions.

Finally, thanks to the students of POLS 2400 at Utah State University who have adopted this book with particular enthusiasm and motivate me to continue to explore and adapt the material.

ACLJ American Center for Law and Justice

AIIB Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

AQI al-Qaeda in Iraq

ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations

BCA Budget Control Act

BSPP Burmese Socialist Program Party

CENTCOM Central Command (US military)

CIA Central Intelligence Agency

CND Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

CPB Communist Party of Burma

DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

DDOS distributed denial of service

DOS denial of service

DSG Defense Strategic Guidance

EEZ exclusive economic zone

ETA Euskadi Ta Askatasuna

EU European Union

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization

GEOINT Geospatial Intelligence

GIS geographic information system

HUM Hizbul Mujahideen

IGO inter-governmental organization

IIGCC Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change

IMET International Military Education and Training Program

IMF International Monetary Fund

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IRA Irish Republican Army

ISI Islamic State of Iraq

ISI Inter-services Intelligence

ISIS/ISIL Islamic State

ISL Islamic Students League

JEI Jamaat-e-Islami

JKJEI Jammu and Kashmir Jamaat-e-Islami

JKLF Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front

JKPC Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference

KDP Korean Democratic Party

KNU Karen National Union

LORCs Law and Order Restoration Councils

MAD mutually assured destruction

MOOTWA military operations other than war

NAFTA North American Free Trade Agreement

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NGA National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

NGO non-governmental organization

NLD National League for Democracy

NPT Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

NSC National Security Council

NSG National System for Geospatial-Intelligence

NSS National Security Strategy

OPT occupied Palestinian territory

PCCP From Potential Conflict to Co-operation Potential

PLO Palestine Liberation Organization

PMC private military contractor

POTB Prevention of Terrorism Bill

RDJTF Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force

RFID radio frequency identification