Geopolitics Affects Everyone, Including College Students.

Michael Barone, a Senior Analyst from the Washington Examiner, indirectly demonstrates the necessity for college students to understand geopolitics and develop the skills to compete globally. Understandably, geopolitics is a complex system of rules and guidelines that is tricky to navigate for even the brightest minds. Countries have laws similar to the United States, but while true, some laws vary dramatically. However, let’s define geopolitics for a better understanding of the topic. According to Walden University, “Geopolitics is the impact geography has on a country’s politics and public policy.” From that quote, a reader can see that Geopolitics affects everyone because everyone has a geographical location and is subject to that country’s rules and regulations.

Barone wrote on Russia and China’s rough passage through 2022, addressing the five W’s. Who, what, where, when, and why. From previous research, the article’s source appears from two primary writers; Neil Ferguson, who has exceptional years of experience, and the other is a recent academic from 2018 named Richard Hanania. Barone establishes their credibility first before moving on with the article, adding more impact to the believability of his story.

No matter the field, Barone shows that learning geopolitics and staying informed on global issues builds a solid foundation for making informed decisions.

For example, say an art major builds their career and wants to market their products. They would start small but eventually build up to global markets. Understanding geopolitics will help students prepare to do business in foreign countries with different policies for commerce.

Similarly, The University of Arizona Global Campus has international students who participate in classes and learn to adapt to the American education system of studying. Professors also need to understand geopolitics to help international students do well in class despite some barriers and within reason.

Ultimately, students learn the connections between all countries that influence each other. While Barone said the United States had no significant impact on the conflicts in Russia and China, they still influenced the overall geopolitics of the world. That means anyone with a good education can help influence the world, no matter their profession. It would seem that Barone indirectly encourages his readers to approach politics with an informed mindset, thus warding off willful ignorance.

The world is highly-complex and yet, simple simultaneously. A solid foundation in geopolitics helps to understand how the global community functions as each part contribute to the whole. Students, teachers, staff, and alums at The University of Arizona Global Campus have a responsibility to arm themselves with information that will allow them to succeed globally. Armed with the right skills and knowledge will alleviate the stress of navigating geopolitics.

 

 

 

 

Sources: