Lastly, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have overcome their volatile political situations, it now remains to be seen how the countries fare in 2020. Produced by Rose Friedman, Petra Mayer, Beth Novey and Meghan Sullivan | Executive Producer: Ellen Silva About. McKittrick and McVea explore the history, ideology and heartbreak of the decades-long conflict in a fair and compelling way, making this difficult history accessible to those without a significant background in Northern Irish history. Best books of 2020: Travel. The US-China trade war will likely continue to be the most visual reminder of the great power competition in the Western Pacific. books NPR’s Book Concierge. His book is the best treatment of the dilemmas you face if you actually try to put your ideals into practice in the world. Understanding the mercurial administration of President Trump in terms of both the White House’s geopolitical outlook, and those of individual cabinet members both past and present, will be crucial to anticipating US (and therefore global) geopolitical trajectories in 2020. Vague and incoherent ideologies further limit the scope of operations for groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces, but does not discount them as a threat. As a renowned scholar in the inter-related fields of law, strategy, and history, Bobbitt’s Terror and Consent is absolutely indispensable in getting to grips with the changing world in which we live at the grand strategic level. The best of 2020, from a sweeping review of geopolitics to a satirical novel about Trumpland. Best in Business 16 New Business Books You Need to Read in 2020 From the battle to be king of meatless meat to entrepreneurs' skirmishes with Amazon … Using new pertinent case studies and guided exercises the title explains the contemporary global power of the United States and the challenges it is facing, the persistence of nationalist conflicts, migration, cyberwar, terrorism, and environmental geopolitics. Understanding the mechanics of civil unrest will be critical for geopolitics watchers in 2020. Savage Ecology: War and Geopolitics at the End of the World (2019), 10. While many regimes may continue to target seemingly bigger issues throughout 2020, this may leave them under prepared for the driving undercurrents of the Middle Eastern street, and the following is recommended for deeper insight into the nuanced perspectives one should have about the coming changes: Asia has slipped somewhat from global focus in 2019, yet the situation remains as volatile as it did in 2018, as tensions between the United States and China have simmered on and President Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy course has placed economic relations in the region on a knife edge. Anthony Clay – U.S. Government and Military Affairs Analyst, Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead (James Mattis). Once upon a time, and once again, this region is home to the Great Game, no longer a term for the historians alone. Empires were abolished and replaced by a global arrangement enforced by the U.S. Navy. Kaplan traces the history of the world’s hot spots by examining their climates, topographies, and proximities to other embattled lands. Understanding the ambitious OBOR project and its impact on the countries along its route will be key in 2020: As something of a counter to China’s economic and hard-power expansion, the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy was launched as a joint effort in 2017, however, despite a number of progress reports, the concept remains somewhat nebulous and has been criticised as being a thin veil for a China-containment strategy. Best books of 2020: These 13 titles scored perfect 4-star reviews from USA TODAY's critics Barbara VanDenburgh, USA TODAY Published 2:44 pm UTC Dec. 11, 2020 Updated 6:30 pm UTC Dec. 11, 2020 Despite this, former Algerian President Abdulaziz Bouteflika’s poor health and progressing age led to him stepping down in 2019, while King Salman of Saudi Arabia’s age and supposed dementia have led to the ambitious Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman taking the reins. The theme of Power looks at India’s imagination of soft and hard power, and how it plays a role with its relations vis-a-vis its immediate neighbours. Not my first time recommending Stavridis for the end-of-year reading list from possibly the most published Admiral; this work of the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy Dean is an update on the seminal Influence of Seapower Upon History by Alfred Thayer Mahan. They ruin the lives of survivors and the families of the dead. The country has annexed much of Northern Syria, and has in recent months begun advancing into Kurdish-held territory. The following are recommended for understanding the key players in the White House: In addition to the turbulent administration, increasingly stressed internal divisions have gripped America in 2019, and will almost certainly continue to deepen in the coming year. France’s Gilets Jaunes movement have paralysed much of the country on a regular basis, drawing extensive tax concessions and tempering reformist President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to radically reshape the French economy. A stark, well-researched, blow-by-blow account of failed US policies and wars in the Middle East and Southwest Asia, and how these are responsible for the chaos currently gripping large swathes of these regions, the decline of the American Empire, as well as the rise of Donald Trump. Taken as a whole, this number is striking, but taken as a yearly average – around 1,800 globally – it could be described as comparatively insignificant. As a CIA targeting officer, Nada Bakos was one of the people tasked with hunting down the fearsome Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, the group which eventually became Islamic State. John Scott – Crime and Insurgency Analyst. With Taiwan going to the polls in January, and incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen having staged a strong comeback in the opinion polls in no small part due to her vocal support of the Hong Kong protesters, perhaps Beijing has refrained from taking action that could further perpetuate another four-year headache of DPP rule in Taipei. The biggest story in South Asia for 2019 has been Kashmir, which has seen an abrupt change in the status quo, with far reaching implications. Whether ancient, crumbling parchments or generated by Google, maps tell us things we want to know, not only about our current location or where we are going but about the world in general. Understanding this frozen-but-deadly conflict will be critical for those wishing to understand South Asian geopolitics in 2020: Pakistan is staring at a balance of payments crisis in the near future, and has taken out larger loans from the IMF and China. To Russia’s West in the Baltics, the buildup of NATO forces is ongoing, while the Kremlin has responded in kind inside the Kaliningrad oblast and Russia itself. Guns Germs and Steel book. While the UAE has long been exploring Israeli arms purchases, and the two states have cautiously seen each other as potential security partners against a resurgent Iran since at least 2009, we are now witnessing increasing levels of diplomatic openness between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv. This book is recommended reading for anyone wanting to understand how terrorists think and act or how America hunts those terrorists down. Austin, TX About Podcast Stratfor's podcast focused on geopolitics, world affairs, national security, economics and other underlying, global trends that drive the international system. Despite their best efforts to self-advertise, however, they remain fully contained within the more remote parts of Cabo Delgado province, and any support from central Islamic State leadership – to which they swear allegiance – is highly unlikely to grow into genuine operational assistance. Often forgotten when discussing geopolitics is the pervasive effect of international law and how it shapes the actions of political actors. See great new launches from new and known authors in Real Simple's list of the best books of 2020 (so far), including "All My Mother's Lovers" by Ilana Masad and "The Book of Longings" by Sue Monk Kidd. how similar they are, are they converging or diverging etc. Encyclopedia Geopolitica readers have access to a 30-day free trial for Kindle Unlimited, allowing them to sample over 1 million ebooks and thousands of audiobooks. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. While Bolsonaro himself – well known for his dislike of compromise – is unlikely to change his government’s trajectory in its privatisation push, he will likely feel forced to slow the pace of reforms. Global Geopolitics Many of these challenges overlap and interact with each other and will be impacted by developments in emerging technologies, demographic shifts, and socio-cultural factors. Case studies of the rise of the so-called Islamic State, the South… Author(s): Colin Flint, A Foreign Affairs Best Book of 2016Today, nations increasingly carry out geopolitical combat through economic means. Despite the regime’s geographical gains and the populace’s war-weariness, Syria is divided, and may simply be a powder keg awaiting a spark. The Targeter: My Life in the CIA, Hunting Terrorists and Challenging the White House (Nada Bakos). Finally, this piece tackles India’s social traditions and how some have lost importance, but other new ones have gained traction. Iraq has far greater issues, in a burgeoning democracy it doesn’t play well to use lethal force against peaceful protests. His successor will have to grapple with these issues against the backdrop of a country attempting to rebuild itself from the horrors of the Islamic State. In Southeast Asia, the collapse of the Levantine Islamic State will likely carry locally-felt ramifications. Follow the topics in this article Both states are part of Russia’s “near abroad”—former Soviet republics that are now independent states neighboring Russia. He shares some personal errors and doesn’t puff up his victories but humbly highlights that he was merely there to be a connector between his men and higher headquarters, filtered through the lens of the end state of the mission. Five geopolitical trends to watch … Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. International Law and the Post-Soviet Space II: Essays on Ukraine, Intervention, and Non-Proliferation (Thomas D. Grant). Values in Foreign Policy (Krishnan Srinivasan et al). Beginning with Mao and the Jiangxi Soviet, when the PRC was more dream than reality, Khan gives a refreshing and balanced account of how China’s actions – confrontational and acquiescent, sometimes opaque but always pragmatic – have achieved their aim in a shifting international and domestic landscape and against a background of constant insecurity. £7.00 #38. Major world events will continue to develop, protest-barricades will be erected, lines will be redrawn across maps, and the geopolitical status quo will find itself increasingly challenged. Cooley and Heathershaw shed light on the mystery and reveal just how connected with the world this isolated region really is. The foll. Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor at King’s College London, provides the authoritative account of the conflict that erupted after the EuroMaidan revolution in February 2014. Understanding the extent and influence of Islamism across the region will be important for understanding the geopolitics of Southeast Asia in 2020: In South Asia, due to Pakistan and India’s prevailing friction, and the ever-rising Chinese superpower across India’s Himalayan frontier, India this year began putting more resources into the the BIMSTEC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand , Nepal and Bhutan) organisation, of which Pakistan is not a member. Many observers are eager to point at vast trends, ideological currents, and sweeping developments as being the end-all answer as to why these movements are happening. From the Middle East and its political instability to China and its economic rise, the vast region stretching eastward from the Balkans across the steppe and South Asia has been thrust into the global spotlight in recent years. Autocratic actions and political machinations also continue to be seen across the region, but beyond the palace walls other forces are beginning to take root across the region. As a result, its geopolitical shifts in the year to come will not go unnoticed. One of the more concrete features of the strategy – the rejuvenation of security cooperation between the so-called “Quad” of the US, Japan, Australia and India – has its own issues as China’s economic influence provides plenty of reason for three of its members to feel conflicted. Some books are really best-sellers according to The Wall Street Journal, others are written by unknown writers. Once upon a time, and once again, this region is home to the Great Game, no longer a term for the historians alone. Rather than serve as the 5th estate, mass media has become the mouthpiece of corporations and governments, in a positioning that appears to be directly opposed to its intended existence as a check-on-power. We suspect that 2020 will be an equally exciting year in the world of geopolitics, and we hope to be able to continue bringing you insightful and informative articles on those niche and under-examined geopolitical developments that we have tried to accurately capture this year. President Trump again failed to attend the recent ASEAN summit in Thailand, where moves towards a regional free-trade agreement we discussed. Neither truly European nor truly Asian, neither Western nor Eastern, Russia has continued to be its own beast in 2019. Emma Sky’s The Unravelling is perfect to follow up to Generation Kill. The European Union is also continuing to push legislation on military cooperation forward in response to the combined threat of a resurgent Russia and an inwardly-focused and more volatile US administration. What often is forgotten are the individuals at the heart of these protests, the men and women whose daily lives are at the forefront of why they choose to demonstrate on the street. This list of the best books of 2020 highlights popular, must-read new books released in 2020. It takes an intersectional dive at various Egyptians of different social strata, while highlighting their everyday struggles with relationships, sexuality, and politics. Terror and Consent: The Wars for the Twenty-first Century (Philip Bobbitt). Editor’s note: While Dr Rogers is far too humble to put forward his own work for our reading list, his latest work alongside Professor of War Studies Caroline Kennedy-Pipe is due for release in 2020 (following a nail-biting delay for those of us keen to read it!). Seemingly bizarre examples – the Crusades, the British Empire, the breakup of the Beatles, Charles Manson, and the founding of the United States – are explored through the lens of political risk analysis in a manner that should remain interesting for both novice readers and analysis veterans. On the other side of the continent, in the coastal states of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo, governments have a more dynamic Islamist threat to consider. In a broader sense, geopolitics studies the general relations between countries on a global scale. Best Sellers in Books #1. It is possible that, as people on both sides become weary of the war, a real and lasting peace can be reached between Russia and Ukraine, but this all happens under the shadow of a quietly resurgent Islamic radicalism from Central Asia. Heroic Failure: Brexit and the Politics of Pain, Europe’s Last Chance: Why the European States Must Form a More Perfect Union, Brexit: Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union, The European Union: Politics and Policies, Unleashing Demons: The Inside Story of Brexit, Unlikely Allies: Britain, America and the Victorian Origins of the Special Relationship, Flashpoints: the emerging crisis in Europe, German-American Relations in the 21st Century: A Fragile Friendship, The Future of British Foreign Policy: Security and Diplomacy in a World after Brexit, The Struggle for Catalonia: Rebel Politics in Spain, Independence or Union: Scotland’s Past and Scotland’s Present, Disintegrative Tendencies in Global Political Economy: Exits and Conflicts, The Border: The Legacy of a Century of Anglo-Irish Politics, Twilight of the Elites: Prosperity, the Periphery, and the Future of France, Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest, 1968 in Europe: A History of Protest and Activism, Environmental Activism and the Media: The Politics of Protest, From Cairo to Wall Street: Voices from the Global Spring, In Putin’s Footsteps: Searching for the Soul of an Empire Across Russia’s Eleven Time Zones, The Long Hangover: Putin’s New Russia and the Ghosts of the Past, All the Kremlin’s Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir Putin, Russia & the West After the Ukrainian Crisis, The Fight for Influence: Russia in Central Asia, Great Games, Local Rules: The New Great Power Contest in Central Asia, Sevastopol’s Wars: Crimea from Potemkin to Putin, The New Cold War: Putin’s Threat to Russia and the West, American Pravda: My Fight for Truth in the Era of Fake News, LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media, Security in Shared Neighbourhoods: Foreign Policy of Russia, Turkey and the EU, Defending Europe: The EU, NATO, and the Quest for European Autonomy, War with Russia: An Urgent Warning from Senior Military Command, Putin’s Master Plan: To Destroy Europe, Divide NATO, and Restore Russian Power and Global Influence, The Baltic Security Puzzle: Regional Patterns of Democratization, Integration, and Authoritarianism, The Pasdaran: Inside Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Vanguard of the Imam: Religion, Politics, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s Influence: A Religious-Political State and Society in its Region, Syria and Iran: Diplomatic Alliance and Power Politics in the Middle East, Iranian Foreign Policy Since 2001: Alone in the World, Iran and Pakistan: Security, Diplomacy and American Influence, Saudi Arabia & Iran: Power and Rivalry in the Middle East, The United Arab Emirates: Power, Politics and Policy-Making, The Changing Security Dynamics of the Persian Gulf, Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassinations, The Weapon Wizards: How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower, My Promised Land: the triumph and tragedy of Israel, Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East, No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria, The Terror Years: From al-Qaeda to the Islamic State, The Syrian Jihad: Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the Evolution of an Insurgency, The Man Who Created the Middle East: A Story of Empire, Conflict and the Sykes-Picot Agreement, Republic of Fear: The Politics of Modern Iraq, The Struggle for Iraq’s Future: How Corruption, Incompetence and Sectarianism Have Undermined Democracy, They Will Have to Die Now: Mosul and the Fall of the Caliphate, Erdogan’s Empire: Turkey and the Politics of the Middle East. As an independent publication, our writers are volunteers from within the professional geopolitical intelligence community, and referrals like this support our ability to create future content by funding server time and domain fees. Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World’s Oceans (James Stavridis). While his intent may be to use his life story as anecdotes behind his simple rules to life, it is the stories that are more compelling. Both Iraq and Syria are fractured and poor after years of brutal conflict, both have a high youth unemployment rate, a dissatisfied population, and poor infrastructure. Saul Cohen considers these forces in the context of their human and physical settings, and explores their geographical influence on foreign policy and international relations…. Author(s): . In researching the book, the author has interviewed Indian policymakers to gain deeper knowledge of the complex issues at play, and hence this book represents not just the personal view of the author, but an insight into the Indian geopolitical mindset. He then applies the lessons learned to the present crises in Europe, Russia, China, the Indian Subcontinent, Turkey, Iran, and the Arab Middle East. For better understanding of the issue, the following are well worth reading: Despite celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, the People’s Republic of China has been dealing with its fair share of problems, none of which seem likely to disappear in 2020. Geopolitics, Northern Europe, and Nordic Noir: What Television Series Tell Us About World Politics (P… This book discusses Central Asia not as a realm separate from the globalisation and progress of the 21st century, but as one where globalisation has planted its flag most strongly, and is beginning to antagonise the latent forces of radical Islam. Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World (1) (Politics of Place) (2016), 2. Blog e-ir.info/category/blogs Facebook fans 39.7K ⋅ Twitter followers 22.6K ⋅ Domain Authority 61 ⋅ Alexa Rank 74.2K View Latest Posts ⋅ Get Email Contact. Whether this view is correct or not, the continuing use of SOF has raised their profile and, with a public driven to know more about them, have spawned a genre of books written about or even by Special Operators, with varying degrees of accuracy and quality. Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s economy has become a bright spot, and all signs point to it continuing to do so. Democratic Ideals and Reality / The Geographical Pivot of History (2018), 12. If this is the case and January’s election does return Tsai Ing-wen to power, China could well decide the damage has been done and take a harder line in dealing with Hong Kong’s dissenters. Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World (1) (Politics of Place) (2016) In this New York Times bestseller, an award-winning journalist uses ten maps of crucial regions to explain the geo-political strategies of […] £4.49 #2. He teaches applied geopolitics at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and his most recent book is Us vs. As the year progresses, if more resources and attention is put into this emerging group, it could gradually gain legitimacy on the world stage, and is worth understanding. See all 27 stories. The result is a book that is not just a fascinating guide to understanding Chinese policy but a worthy read on the subject of strategy itself. Understanding how Russia sees the world is paramount for Western leaders whether they seek rapprochement with their long-time foe or a better perspective on a “down but not out” rival. Hollywood, half magic and geopolitics: books read THE RKO STORY by Richard B. Jewell is one of a series of coffee-table studio histories that came out several decades ago, giving the behind-the-scenes stuff along with a year-by-year, film-by-film account of production. 1. Meanwhile, however, in Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and West Africa, lesser-known insurgencies bubble insidiously, further from the eyes of Western media. Find our best selection and offers online, with FREE Click & Collect or UK delivery. The absolute best books of 2020, from the most anticapted novels and moving memoirs to edge-of-your-seat mystery and true crime stories. From the outset she is against the war, and joins from her UK-based role in the British Council with the intention of doing working in Iraq for a few short months. It is the equivalent of one third of the estimated number of people killed by lightning each year. An understanding of both sides of the US political divide is key, and the following are recommended: South of the U.S., nearly three quarters of a billion people live in the twenty countries of Latin America. In the West, both Ukraine and Russia will be frequently mentioned as the US presidential election draws closer, and how presidents Putin and Zelensky act and what they say will be closely monitored for any hint of undue influence going either into or out of Washington. Assad’s main issue now is attempting to regain normality, to heal divisions if at all possible, and maintain his sovereign borders. Making Sense of the Troubles (David McKittrick & David McVea). Similar to the cells operating in Mozambique, however, their capabilities are no realistic threat to central governance – even in the midst of an unpredictable Ebola outbreak in the east of the country. The recently departed Secretary of Defense writes his (often standard and expected for the role) memoir, with a slight twist, covering Mattis’ lengthy service as a Marine as a foil to his service as a civilian. list of suggestions for those seeking to better understand the coming year’s geopolitical movements, including academic textbooks, historical studies and insights from some of the world’s greatest geopolitical minds. Are there any other relevant resources you could recommend? Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Written with journalistic flare by an author who is not afraid to rustle feathers to get to the truth, this book should be required reading for all students of US foreign policy in the late 20th and 21st centuries. The Accidental Superpower: The Next Generation of American Preeminence and the Coming Global Disorder (2016), 7. Hulsman explores the concept that, rather than a naturally dangerous political world threatening our stability and safety, it is in fact a strange type of political self-harm that carries the greatest threat. Drawing on his experience as one of the foremost statesmen of the modern era—advising presidents, traveling the world, observing and shaping the central foreign policy events of recent decades—Kissinger now reveals his analysis of the ultimate challenge for the twenty-first century: how to build a shared international order in a world of divergent historical perspectives, violent conflict, proliferating… Author(s): Henry Kissinger, Bestselling author Robert D. Kaplan builds on the insights, discoveries, and theories of great geographers and geopolitical thinkers of the recent and distant past to look back at critical pivots in history and then to look forward at the evolving global scene. US military policy brings a lot of uncertainty heading in to 2020. , the buildup of NATO forces is ongoing, while the Kremlin has responded in kind inside the Kaliningrad oblast and Russia itself. Both books show young Western actors on a fracturing stage, and provide a warning to history against the failure to consider that the hardest part of any campaign begins after you have won. Many problems had been left to fester in the year since Mahdi took charge, and the next Prime Minister will need to tread incredibly carefully and heed warnings that the swamp from which ISIS grew has not been drained. The… Author(s): Robert D. Kaplan, Far more than a history of the Silk Roads, this book is truly a revelatory new history of the world, promising to destabilize notions of where we come from and where we are headed next. As the modern centre of global geopolitcal power, the United States of America has continued unsurprisingly to overwhelm geopolitical discourse in 2019. Despite this, 2020 will almost certainly see the group and its ideological offshoots continuing to pose risks globally. Militant Islamism will remain a prominent feature of the security environment for several African countries over the next year, and certainly not just in Kenya and Nigeria, where al Shabaab and Boko Haram sustain perhaps the continent’s highest-profile insurgencies. Approaching state strategy and policy from the spatial angle, Jeremy Black argues that just as the perception of power is central to issues of power, so place, and its constraints and relationships, is partly a matter of perception, not merely map coordinates. Prime Minister Mahdi who has agreed to resign as soon as a successor is agreed in order to avoid a political vacuum, has felt the brunt of popular dissatisfaction having failed to solve problems of youth unemployment, corruption, and broken infrastructure. From the stalled-but-ever-bloody war in Yemen to counter Iran-backed Houthi rebels, to their efforts to expand a presence across the Horn of Africa while building up their own military capabilities, the wealthy Gulf States appear to be scrambling to cement their own power in their near abroad. This book discusses Central Asia not as a realm separate from the globalisation and progress of the 21st century, but as one where globalisation has planted its flag most strongly, and is beginning to antagonise the latent forces of radical Islam. The following are suggested for an understanding of the region’s geopolitical situation: Algeria, Morocco and other monarchies of the region remain relatively stable after the turbulence that sought to topple them earlier this decade. While the economy looks set to slow further in the coming year, the all-important Belt and Road Initiative continues to suffer from governance issues and allegations of debt-trap diplomacy. See below for a selection of the latest books from Geopolitics category. This will remain more of a realistic concern as the growing insurgency digs deeper into Mali, Mauritania and Chad in the coming year, where it faces embedded French, US and international special forces. Near the end of the Second World War, the United States made a bold strategic gambit that rewired the international system. Presented with a red border are the Geopolitics books that have been lovingly read and reviewed by the experts at Lovereading. 1. When I read a book based on Geopolitics, I often see mentions of towns, provinces, mountains etc. Generation Kill: Devil Dogs, Ice Man, Captain America, and the New Face of American War (Evan Wright). Dictators Without Borders: Power and Money in Central Asia(Alexander Cooley & John Hathershaw). Her clear perspective provides a mirror into Iraq as it plunges into sectarian violence. Geopolitics, he maintains, is as much about ideas and perception as it is about the actual spatial dimensions of power.