Normative critical geopolitics as a way to practical geography? Reflection and critique of current research
2016
Abstract
The aim of this contribution is to critically assess the current epistemological heading of critical geopolitics as one of the branches of political geography. As the author could see at the latest annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers 2015, critical geopolitics has undergone a vital shift towards antipositivism and negatively critical normativism, which basically contributes to its lower practical relevance.
However, this cannot be remedied by any retrograde shift towards naturalism, but by the acceptance of the principles of positive normativism which is able to produce practical recommendations.