Department of Turkish Studies and Modern Asian Studies
Course 70251, Course Energy, Politics and Security, 5 ECTS, 8th semester.
Tutor: I. Mazis, Em. Professor & Dr M. Sarlis, Teaching Staff
Ioannis Mazis <yianmazis[at]turkmas.uoa[dot]gr> Michael Sarlis <michsarl[at]turkmas.uoa[dot]gr>
www.uoa scholar ioannis mazis users.uoa.gr/~yianmaziswww.geo-mazis.gr
Aims and Objectives
Geopolitics of energy covers topics related to interactions of geographical, political, military, economic aspects as a way to comprehend events affecting the energy system. First we will introduce some theoretical definitions of what geopolitics is, how it has been developed throughout the years. Further, we will focus on some case studies that can better describe the great number of variables that determine the geopolitical situation of some world areas where the geopolitical pillar of economy and in particular, the compound geopolitical indicator of energy has crucial role. The methodology is the Systemic Geopolitical Analysis and in this context, energy is a matter of utmost concern. Each historical episode will be analyzed to make sense of the international context and the players concerned by pointing out causes and consequences with special attention to the energy sector. Crucial for a positive and useful result will be the capability of each participant to interact and share opinion and remark. Participants will be asked to perform short reports and case studies analyses.
Course outline
Part I: Theory
- Fundamentals of Geopolitics (9 hours in total/duration of each lecture: 3 hours):
i. Definitions of Geopolitics: The difference between Geopolitics and Geostrategy and Geopropaganda.
ii. Geography and Geographical Areas, the Geographical Space (F. Ratzel’s approach).
iii. The Methodology of Systemic Geopolitical Analysis.
- The geopolitical models of Sir Halford Mackinder, K. Haushoffer and N. J. Spykman (4 hours in total / duration of each lecture: 2 hours).
Part II: Case Studies
- The Suez Canal Crisis as a paradigm of a new world in the decolonization process (1 hour).
- The First Oil Crisis and the Yom Kippur War (1 hour).
- The Second Oil Crisis and the Iranian Revolution (2 hours).
- The Iran-Iraq war and the Oil Counter shock (2 hours).
- The Gulf Wars: the Middle East reshaped from the end of Cold War to the September 11th 2001 (2 hours).
- Middle East.2: An Updated analysis (2 hours).
- The Geopolitics of Energy in the South-East Mediterranean (3 hours).
- Central Asia and Energy: Geopolitical Dynamics of the Energy Routes of the Central Asia Geopolitical System. (5 hours).
Course assessment:coursework and exams
Bibliography
Basic textbook(s):
Mazis, I. Th., L’ analyse geopolitique systemique: propositions terminologiques et definitions metatheoriques selon l’ exigence metatheorique lakatienne. Available at: https://goo.gl/vqa54P
Alternative textbooks:
Mazis, I. Th., Writing Methodology of a geopolitical analysis. Structure, concepts and terms, Available at: https://goo.gl/WYDuCp
Theoreticaltexts and case studies
-www.uoa scholar ioannis mazis (Numerous texts)
-Mazis, I. Th., Writing Methodology of a geopolitical analysis. Structure, concepts and terms, Available at: https://goo.gl/WYDuCp
-Mazis, I. Th., L’ analyse geopolitique systemique: propositions terminologiques et definitions metatheoriques selon l’ exigence metatheorique lakatienne. Available at: https://goo.gl/vqa54P
-Mazis, I. Th., Greece’s new Defense Doctrine: a framework proposal. Available at: https://goo.gl/7JHuA2
-Mazis, I. Th, Theoretical perception of geopolitics in Davutoglu’s work: a critical presentation. Available at: https://goo.gl/eEPct3
-Kotoulas, I., Geopolitical axes in Ioannis Mazis’s scientific research program. Available at: https://goo.gl/4BHkHx
Books
Samuel, P. Huntington,The clash of Civilizations and the remaking of world order, The Free Press, 2002
Kissinger, Henry., World Order: Reflections on the Character of Nations and the Course of History, Penguin books, 2014
Brzezinsky, Zbigniew., The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives, Basic books,1997
Kaplan,Robert D., The revenge of Geography, Random House, 2013;
Kaplan, Robert D., Asia’s Cauldron, Random House, 2014;
Maugeri,Leonardo., Oil: The Next Revolution, 2012.
US Government, US Army Strategic Studies Institute, Russia and Vladimir Putin: Studies and Reports, 2013;
Flieshart, Jana.,Why did the Iranian revolution result in the foundation of the Islamic Republic? GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2013;
Marie, Lall (ed.), Geopolitics of Energy in South Asia, ISEAS, 2009;
Articles
Güllner, Lutz., Threat or Risk? The Debate About Energy Security and Russia: Five Steps for a Scientific Research Programme, JCER Volume 4, Issue 2;
Johnston, Robert., (et al.), The Russian Gas Sector: A Political Risk case Study, Harvard Univ. Belfer Center, 2014;
Koyama, Ken., The Changing LNG Situation in Japan after March 11, Harvard Univ. Belfer Center, 2013
Ripple, Ronald., The Geopolitics of Australian natural gas Development, Harvard Univ. Belfer Center, 2014;
O’Sullivan, Meghan., The energy implications of a nuclear deal between P5+1 and Iran, Harvard Univ. Belfer Center, 2015;
Mazis, I. Th., Geopolitical analysis of the Greater Middle East System in the present Juncture. Available at: https://goo.gl/pVuzXn
Mazis, I. Th., Geographical Distribution of Methane Hydrates and International Geopolitics of Energy: Resources in the Eastern Mediterranean. Available at: https://goo.gl/J9DC6c
Mazis, I. Th., The Geopolitical Impact of the Syrian Crisis on Lebanon. Available at: https://goo.gl/AMrjg6
Mazis, I. Th., The Afgan-Pakistani islamist movement as a cause of instability in the Wider Middle East. Available at: https://goo.gl/rxqNY6
Mazis, I. Th., Geopolitics of hydrocarbons in the South-Eastern Mediterranean: Greek-Israeli-Cypriot relations and the importance of the EEZ of Kastelorizo. Available at: file:///home/mazis/Downloads/47-1-197-1-10-20130728%20(1).pdf
Mazis, I. Th., The geostrategic axis between Israel, Cyprus and Greece: Turkey’s planning in the region. Available at: file:///home/mazis/Downloads/48-1-201-1-10-20130728.pdf
Mazis, I. Th., The psychological and symbolic factor of Great Britain’s geostrategy in the Cyprus-Suez issue. Available at:https://goo.gl/Bw3QFB
Mazis, I. Th., The role of energy as a geopolitical factor for the consolidation of Greek-Israeli relations. Available at: https://goo.gl/3Nc4Kv
Mazis, I. Th., Geopolitics of energy in the Kastelorizo-Cyprus-Middle East complex, based on existing geophysical and geological indications of hydrocarbon deposits. Available at: https://cg.turkmas.uoa.gr/index.php/cg/article/view/49
Mazis, I. Th., The Greek EEZ: principles of a geopolitical analysis. Available at:https://goo.gl/aGQDTq
Mazis et al., Cable and pipeline corridors under the legal framework of UNCLOS and the energy treaty. Geopolitical considerations at the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Available at: https://ideas.repec.org/a/hrs/journl/vixy2017i1p63-83.html
Mazis et al., Geopolitical realities in the Greece-Cyprus dipole. Solutions and alibis. Available at:https://cg.turkmas.uoa.gr/index.php/cg/article/view/71
Mazis et al., A geopolitical analysis of the activation of the Shiite geopolitical factor within the Syrian Conflict geosystem. Available at: https://goo.gl/1qKMbP
Mazis, I. Th., The Mediterranean geopolitical structure and the matter of Cyprus problem in accordance to the Annan Plan. Available at: https://goo.gl/NoJg1Y