Geopolitics of East Asia and international relations

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• GGP: Global Governance Programme

Join this event to discuss the 'Geopolitica dell’Asia orientale' book, and its unique approach to international relations.

The book ‘Geopolitica dell’Asia orientale’ proposes an approach to IR that looks at the geographies of international politics and the roles of agents as interpreted in non-Western societies. In doing so, it aims first and foremost to emphasise the need for a globalisation of the discipline - Global IR. Furthermore, this approach proposes an interpretation of international politics as both a concrete and historically determined practice in political space.

This approach assumes that the ‘cognitive maps’ of the world around us are relevant to understanding the system of international relations. It is politics that gives meaning to political space, rather than the reverse. Similarly, the political construction of space interplays with values, ideas, and status as well as material capabilities and interests. The volume integrates strategic, economic, and ideological dimensions to offer a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex dynamics that shape Asian geopolitics, with a particular focus on China’s increasing assertiveness and its impact on the region.