Quarterly Journal of Political
Research in Islamic World

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Soltani M, Pishgahi Fard Z. Validation of Geographical and Political Geography Theories. پژوهش‌هاي سياسي جهان اسلام 2026; 16 (2) :79-100
URL: http://priw.ir/article-1-2062-en.html

Abstract

Classical theories of geopolitics and political geography, such as Mackinder's Heartland, Spykman's Rimland, and others, have so far emphasized fixed strategic locations as the "pivot of the world." However, the rapid transformations of the contemporary era – including technology, globalization, climate change, the emergence of non-state actors, and the failure of these theories to fully explain the dynamics of power – have posed fundamental challenges to their validity. This article, employing a descriptive-analytical method with a critical approach, argues that these theories, in their traditional form, are no longer capable of providing a comprehensive and efficient analysis of global power relations. The contemporary world requires not a fixed location, but a new and dynamic understanding of the concept of the "Heartland"; a concept sought not merely in static geography, but within the dynamic movement of history and as a "Chain of History." This Chain of History consists of accumulated discourses, processes, events, and interactions that, in each era, shape new centers of power and influence, belonging to all times and places. The article concludes that the validity of traditional theories is conditional upon their redefinition within this historical-dynamic paradigm and the development of a new theory based on the identification and analysis of this missing historical link. The innovation of this research lies in presenting this novel and necessary conceptual framework for contemporary political geography and geopolitics.

Throughout history, political scientists and statesmen have constantly sought to identify a location as the center or heart of the earth and to initiate territorialization based on it. Various theories have been proposed in this regard. Geopolitics, as a science examining the relationships between geography, politics, and power, has always sought to identify the centers of global power and provide frameworks for analyzing and predicting the behavior of international actors. "Heartland" is one of the most important concepts introduced in geopolitics and has found a special place as the key to world domination in classical geopolitical theories. Theorists such as Alfred Mahan, Halford Mackinder, Nicholas Spykman, Alexander de Seversky, and Geoffrey Kemp have each attempted to define the center of global power by identifying specific regions and to provide operational frameworks for dominating these areas. This article examines and critiques these theories and maintains that a deeper understanding of the Heartland requires a historical and cultural approach. By reviewing previous research, new questions and hypotheses are raised that will contribute to a better understanding of this subject. The aim of this article is to examine and assess the validity of existing theories concerning the Heartland. This research seeks to demonstrate that these theories, due to their neglect of historical and global dynamics, lack spatiotemporal validity and cannot meet the analytical needs of today's transforming world.

Geopolitical and political geography theorists have attempted to provide frameworks for analyzing power and the balance of power in the international system by emphasizing the importance of physical geography and specific strategic locations. In their concepts such as Mackinder's "Heartland," Spykman's "Rimland," and others, focusing on regions like Eurasia or continental margins, they believed that fixed geographical positions could determine the political and economic destiny of the world. These theories, in their own time, were used as effective tools for analyzing global power. However, the global transformations of the twenty-first century, including globalization, the digital technological revolution, environmental crises, and the emergence of new security threats such as terrorism and pandemics, have shown that these traditional theories, due to their determinism and excessive emphasis on static geography, can no longer explain the complex realities of the contemporary world. Historical and political analysis also shows that the centrality of global power has always been variable over time and, dependent on various factors such as cultural, technological, and economic transformations, has constantly been in flux. Therefore, this important question arises: Do geopolitical and political geography theories still possess sufficient validity for analyzing the realities of the contemporary world? It seems that existing geopolitical theories concerning the concept of the Heartland, due to their lack of spatiotemporal validity, cannot explain the complex transformations of the contemporary world. The present study, employing a descriptive-analytical method with a critical approach, seeks to answer this question and to present a new framework based on the "Chain of History" as an alternative to the static Heartland. The findings of this research indicate that the position of the Heartland must be redefined as a dynamic concept dependent on history and geography, global interactions, and new technologies. This change in approach not only provides more precise analyses of global power structures but also contributes to a deeper understanding of social and cultural transformations. Finally, the article concludes that redefining the position of the Heartland is not only a scientific necessity but can also serve as a tool for better understanding global dynamics and responding to the challenges facing humanity in the twenty-first century.