The Political Geography section covers covers one week of class time (suggested) and begins with defining some basic concepts regarding the structure of governments and the differences between power and authority. Types of governmens are discussed, then we examine how geography impacts the nature of states. The forces that act on states are discussed (centripetal versus centrifugal) and important models like Core-Periphery, Rimland and Heartland are introduced. The geography of states is also crucial for undrstanding boundaries and boundary disputes.

The Political Geography section contains three separate days:
Day 1: Political Science explains the history of political thought.
Day 2: Political Forces explains the forces at work in state formation.
Day 3: Political Conflicts examines how boundaries impact state relationships.