On 12 November 2024, IDOS and the Academy of International Affairs NRW (AIA) convened an informal expert workshop to assess the dynamics of contemporary geopoliticization across a range of policy areas.
The experts exchanged on “(Critical) Geopolitics, sustainability, and “global” spaces: Bringing together concepts and insights from research on outer space, the polar regions and the “Global South”.
Geopoliticization refers to the processes by which considerations of geographical space are prioritized in policymaking and, more fundamentally, denotes a shift to thinking of power in spatial – especially global – terms. We observe an increasing prominence (in fact a revival) of national interests framed in geopolitical terms, often as an alternative to global cooperation processes.
At a time of rising tensions and persistent, interconnected challenges ranging from environmental collapse to the rapid spread of advanced technologies, rigorous, systematic research can provide critical context to inform policy responses. In this context, the workshop brought together researchers from a variety of disciplinary, geographical, and substantive backgrounds to share their perspectives on the role of geopoliticization in policy areas ranging from development cooperation and EU external relations to Arctic and Antarctic governance and outer space affairs. The discussions were oriented around two guiding questions:
- Why are established cooperation formats under pressure and to what extent are the causes framed in geopolitical terms?
- How and to what extent are geopolitical dynamics transforming partnerships and power relations at sub-national, national, regional, and global levels?
The open conversations were designed to inspire new research ideas and opportunities for networking and future collaboration.
