Political Geography

Political geography is concerned with the interface between politics and geography and what might be seen as the geographies of power. This article provides an overview of the history and development of the subdiscipline. It examines some key elements in the evolution of political geography and focuses on key themes of territory, state, geopolitics, nation, identity and citizenship, electoral geography, and environment. In doing so it examines shifts in approaches and methods, outlines important concepts, and discusses the contributions of some leading political geographers. It also examines the engagement of geographers in ‘real’ political issues. The subdiscipline has developed in response to broader theoretical and methodological shifts within human geography and in other disciplines and to broader social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental changes. Political geography continues to evolve and embraces a wide variety of concerns, approaches, and methods.