IR301 Political Geography and Geopolitics
IR301 Political Geography and Geopolitics
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Political Science and International Relations
Jahja Muhasilović
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course aims to develop students' ability to critically evaluate basic concepts of geopolitics and political geography. It will provide them with an understanding of key concepts of political geography and geopolitics, provide a comparison between different states and their geopolitical priorities and it will improve their analytical skills.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Flint, C. (2022). Introduction to Geopolitics (4th Edition). New York: Routledge Garnett, M. Mabon, S. Smith, R. (2017). British Foreign Policy since 1945. New York: Routledge Muhammad Ali Baig | (2021) Brexit: Analysing Britain’s political and geostrategic considerations, Cogent Social Sciences, 7:1 Russell G. (2006) Alfred Thayer Mahan and American Geopolitics: The Conservatism and Realism of an Imperialist, Geopolitics, Vol 11. Torbjorn L. Knutsen (2014) Halford J. Mackinder, Geopolitics, and the Heartland Thesis, The International History Review, 36:5, 835-857 Dunlop, J. (2004). Alexander Dugin's "Foundation of Geopolitics" Demokratzisaya, 12(1), p. 41 Nadezhda Arbatova (2019) Three Faces of Russia’s Neo-Eurasianism, Survival, 61:6, 7-24 H. van der Wusten & G. Dijkink (2002) German, British and French Geopolitics: The Enduring Differences, Geopolitics, 7:3, 19-38 Liana Fix (2018): The Different ‘Shades’ of German Power: Germany and EU Foreign Policy during the Ukraine Conflict, German Politics Danuta Gibas-Krzak, “The Geopolitical Importance of the Balkans: A General Overview,” The Journal of Slavic Military Studies 33, no. 3 (February 2020): pp. 460-479.
Additional Literature
Brzezinski, Z. (1998). The Grand Chessboard. New York: Basic Books Friedman, G. (2009). The next 100 years: A forecast for the 21st century. New York: Anchor BooksTeaching Methods
The teaching methods will include lecturing
Video clips
Class discussions
Reflective assignments and in-class debates
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction Week | |
| 2 | Entrance to what the Geopolitics is | Flint - Introduction |
| 3 | A Framework for Understanding Geopolitics | Flint, Ch. 2 |
| 4 | Embedding Geopolitics within National Identity | Flint, Ch. 5 |
| 5 | Messy Geopolitics: Agency and Multiple Structures | Flint, Ch. 10 |
| 6 | Territorial Geopolitics: Shaky Foundations of the World Geopolitical Map? | Flint, Ch. 6 |
| 7 | Heartland Theory and MacKinder | Torbjorn L. Knutsen |
| 8 | Midterm Exam | |
| 9 | Geopolitics and the Cold War | Black, Ch. 8 |
| 10 | Geopolitics since 1990 | Black, Ch. 9 |
| 11 | Anglophone Geopolitics: the US and British Examples | Russell, Garnett, M. Mabon, S. Smith, R. 1-7, Muhammad Ali Baig 1-18 |
| 12 | SEMESTER QUIZ | |
| 13 | Understanding the Russian Approach to Geopolitics and Eurasianism | Dunlop, Arbatova |
| 14 | German, British and French Geopolitics: The Enduring Differences | H. van der Wusten & G. Dijkink, Liana Fix |
| 15 | Geopolitical Importance of the Balkans | Gibas-Krzak |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR301.1 | Course | Wednesday 15:00 - 17:50 | B F2.14 | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 - 17:00 | B F1.7 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 and 4
Midterm
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3
Attendance
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Home Study
75 hours ⏳ (15 week × 5 h)
Assignment
5 hours ⏳ (1 week × 5 h)
Midterm Exam Study
10 hours ⏳ (1 week × 10 h)
Final Exam Study
15 hours ⏳ (1 week × 15 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [IR301] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| IR301 | Political Geography and Geopolitics | 3 | 1 | 6 | Wednesday 15:00-17:50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | IR101 | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Jahja Muhasilović | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 12:00-17:00 |
|||||||
| jmuhasilovic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course aims to develop students' ability to critically evaluate basic concepts of geopolitics and political geography. It will provide them with an understanding of key concepts of political geography and geopolitics, provide a comparison between different states and their geopolitical priorities and it will improve their analytical skills. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Flint, C. (2022). Introduction to Geopolitics (4th Edition). New York: Routledge Garnett, M. Mabon, S. Smith, R. (2017). British Foreign Policy since 1945. New York: Routledge Muhammad Ali Baig | (2021) Brexit: Analysing Britain’s political and geostrategic considerations, Cogent Social Sciences, 7:1 Russell G. (2006) Alfred Thayer Mahan and American Geopolitics: The Conservatism and Realism of an Imperialist, Geopolitics, Vol 11. Torbjorn L. Knutsen (2014) Halford J. Mackinder, Geopolitics, and the Heartland Thesis, The International History Review, 36:5, 835-857 Dunlop, J. (2004). Alexander Dugin's "Foundation of Geopolitics" Demokratzisaya, 12(1), p. 41 Nadezhda Arbatova (2019) Three Faces of Russia’s Neo-Eurasianism, Survival, 61:6, 7-24 H. van der Wusten & G. Dijkink (2002) German, British and French Geopolitics: The Enduring Differences, Geopolitics, 7:3, 19-38 Liana Fix (2018): The Different ‘Shades’ of German Power: Germany and EU Foreign Policy during the Ukraine Conflict, German Politics Danuta Gibas-Krzak, “The Geopolitical Importance of the Balkans: A General Overview,” The Journal of Slavic Military Studies 33, no. 3 (February 2020): pp. 460-479. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
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| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
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| Teaching Methods | The teaching methods will include lecturing, video clips, class discussions, reflective assignments and in-class debates | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction Week | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Entrance to what the Geopolitics is | Flint - Introduction | ||||||||
| Week 3 | A Framework for Understanding Geopolitics | Flint, Ch. 2 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Embedding Geopolitics within National Identity | Flint, Ch. 5 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Messy Geopolitics: Agency and Multiple Structures | Flint, Ch. 10 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Territorial Geopolitics: Shaky Foundations of the World Geopolitical Map? | Flint, Ch. 6 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Heartland Theory and MacKinder | Torbjorn L. Knutsen | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm Exam | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Geopolitics and the Cold War | Black, Ch. 8 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Geopolitics since 1990 | Black, Ch. 9 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Anglophone Geopolitics: the US and British Examples | Russell, Garnett, M. Mabon, S. Smith, R. 1-7, Muhammad Ali Baig 1-18 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | SEMESTER QUIZ | |||||||||
| Week 13 | Understanding the Russian Approach to Geopolitics and Eurasianism | Dunlop, Arbatova | ||||||||
| Week 14 | German, British and French Geopolitics: The Enduring Differences | H. van der Wusten & G. Dijkink, Liana Fix | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Geopolitical Importance of the Balkans | Gibas-Krzak | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3, and 4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm | 1 | 30 | 1 and 2 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz | 1 | 20 | 3 and 4 | Not Allowed | |
| Attendance | 1 | 10 | 1 and 2 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Home Study | 5 | 15 | 75 | |||
| Assignment | 5 | 1 | 5 | Midterm Exam Study | 10 | 1 | 10 | |||
| Final Exam Study | 15 | 1 | 15 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||