Geography of Armed Conflicts : Increasing Tensions Between States and Wars in 2009

The course will present an overview of the global geopolitical situation, the main threats to human development and the factors that drive armed conflicts.

The course will deal with the following themes :

1) The state of the world in 2009 (governance, economy, environment and societies) ;

2) The geography of conflict in 2009 ;

3) Global threats (climate change, competition for resources, marginalization of the majority of the world’s population and the process of global militarization) ;

4) Aggravating factors (imperialism, weakening of the U.N. system, a shift in universal values, the priority placed on productivity and the concentration of power and wealth).

Future perspectives/priorities for ensuring humanity’s security

1) Climate change (causes and consequences)

2) From the paradigm of security acquired through force toward "sustainable" security

• The sharing of resources ;

• Measures to counter global climate warming ;

• The struggle against poverty and hunger ;

• A better understanding of the roots of international terrorism ;

Lecturer :

Jules Dufour, Ph.D.
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi