Welcome to Power, Places and Networks! (HL Extension)

Hello HL Geography student! This chapter is one of the most exciting parts of the course because it deals with who is really running the show globally—and how they do it.

This topic, Power, places and networks, is central to the HL extension on Global Interactions. We’re moving beyond simple maps and looking at the invisible forces (power) that shape the visible world (places and networks). Don't worry if this seems complex; we will break down political and economic theory into real-world geographic examples.


Key Focus: Understanding how the exercise of power shapes global interactions, creates spatial hierarchies, and operates through complex global networks.

1. Understanding Geographic Power and Influence

1.1 What is Geographic Power?

In Geography, power isn't just about military might. It’s the ability of one entity (a state, a company, or an organization) to influence, control, or dominate others, affecting how resources, people, and information flow across space.

We often categorize geographic power based on how it is exerted:

  • Political Power: The ability to set laws, control territory, and influence international policy (e.g., UN Security Council vetoes).
  • Economic Power: Control over global finance, trade, and resources (e.g., the influence of the US dollar or global banks).
  • Cultural Power: The ability to shape values, ideas, and consumer preferences globally (often called "soft power").

1.2 Hard Power vs. Soft Power

When analyzing the power of a state or global actor, it's useful to distinguish between two main methods of influence:

Hard Power

This involves using coercion (force or threats) to achieve aims. It is direct and often visible.

  • Definition: The use of military force, sanctions, or direct economic threats.
  • Example: A country threatening to impose huge tariffs (taxes) on another country’s exports unless certain trade rules are changed.
Soft Power

This involves using attraction and persuasion. It is subtle and works by making others want the same outcomes as you.

  • Definition: The use of culture, political values, and foreign policies to garner respect and influence.
  • Example: The global popularity of Hollywood films, K-Pop, or international education systems, which encourages other countries to adopt similar cultural norms or political practices.

💡 Memory Aid: Hard Power is like a hammer (forceful). Soft Power is like a magnet (attractive).

Key Takeaway: The most successful global actors (states or organizations) today are those that effectively blend Hard Power (economic stability/military strength) with Soft Power (cultural appeal/diplomacy).

2. Core-Periphery Structures and Global Interactions

Power isn't distributed equally. It tends to cluster in specific places, creating geographical hierarchies. The most common model for understanding this uneven distribution is the Core-Periphery Model.

2.1 The Global Core and Periphery

Think of the global economy as a wheel. The Core is the hub, and the Periphery is the rim.

  • The Core (The Hub): These are the dominant regions (typically MEDCs/HICs) that control global finance, technology, and governance.
    • Characteristics: High GDP, high consumption, sophisticated infrastructure, headquarters of most TNCs (Transnational Corporations), and strong political influence (e.g., North America, Western Europe, Japan).
  • The Periphery (The Rim): These are less developed regions (typically LEDCs/LICs) that are dependent on the Core.
    • Characteristics: Low GDP, dependence on raw materials/low-cost manufacturing, vulnerable to external economic shocks, and limited political influence (e.g., many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia).
The Role of the Semi-Periphery

In the middle are regions known as the Semi-Periphery (e.g., BRICS nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa). These areas are industrializing rapidly, challenging the old core, and exploiting the periphery. They are both exploiters and the exploited.

2.2 Networks: The Anatomy of Global Power

Power is maintained through networks—the pathways, infrastructure, and connections that allow flows to happen. These flows determine who has power and who doesn't.

If a place is central to these networks, it gains power. If a place is bypassed, it risks marginalization (being left out).

Major Global Networks/Flows:

  • Capital (Money): Flows primarily through global financial centres (New York, London, Tokyo) via banking networks.
  • Information: Flows through cables, satellites, and digital platforms. Control over the internet backbone gives massive power.
  • Trade/Goods: Flows through transport infrastructure—shipping lanes, air freight routes, and major ports (e.g., Singapore, Rotterdam).
  • People: Flows of migrants, skilled workers, and tourists.

Example: The control exerted by global social media networks (like Meta or Google) demonstrates how power has shifted from physical territory to digital space. They control the flow of information, shaping public opinion and even political processes globally.

Key Takeaway: The Core maintains its dominance by controlling the networks and the flow of high-value goods, capital, and information, leading to the continued spatial inequality seen across the globe.

3. State Sovereignty and Global Governance

Historically, the primary global actor was the State (country), protected by the concept of Sovereignty. However, modern global interactions challenge this traditional power structure.

3.1 Defining State Sovereignty

Sovereignty is the principle that a state has exclusive authority over its territory and population, free from external control. It is the legal basis of the global political system.

Challenges to Sovereignty (Erosion of State Power)

In the age of global interactions, the power of national governments is increasingly constrained by forces operating beyond their borders:

  1. TNCs (Transnational Corporations): These companies operate across many countries. They can move production and investment freely, forcing states to compete by offering low taxes and weak regulation. This limits a state's ability to set its own economic rules.
  2. Global Governance (IGOs): Institutions like the WTO (World Trade Organization), IMF (International Monetary Fund), and UN (United Nations) require states to conform to international rules (e.g., on trade or human rights) to gain benefits or avoid sanctions.
  3. Global Civil Society: NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) like Greenpeace or Amnesty International operate globally, influencing public opinion and pressuring governments to change policies, sometimes overriding national laws.
  4. Transnational Crime/Terrorism: Issues that cross borders (cyber attacks, drug trafficking) cannot be solved by one state alone, necessitating international cooperation and ceding some control.

Did you know? When a country joins the WTO, it gains access to larger markets, but it loses the right to unilaterally set its own tariffs or subsidies, thus trading a piece of sovereignty for economic gain.

3.2 The Role of IGOs (Intergovernmental Organizations)

IGOs are organizations composed primarily of sovereign states. They manage global interactions and act as nodes of centralized power.

  • IMF/World Bank: Focus on economic governance. They offer loans, but often attach strict conditions (structural adjustment programs) requiring recipient states to privatize assets or cut spending, deeply influencing domestic policy.
  • UN: Focus on security and humanitarian aid. While its power is often limited by member states, UN resolutions carry significant moral and political weight.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't confuse IGOs (like the UN, made up of governments) with NGOs (like Médecins Sans Frontières, made up of citizens). Both influence power, but in different ways.

Key Takeaway: While sovereignty remains a legal principle, its practical meaning has diminished as global economic and political flows require states to cede control to powerful TNCs and IGOs.

4. The Changing Global Landscape of Power

Global power structures are not static; they are dynamic and constantly being re-negotiated. The traditional Core dominance (led by the USA and Western Europe) is facing major challenges.

4.1 The Rise of Emerging Powers

The most significant shift in global interactions is the rise of large, rapidly industrializing economies, often grouped together (e.g., BRICS).

  • How they gain power: They use their vast resources, massive populations (providing labour and markets), and rapid technological accumulation to increase their geopolitical influence.
  • Geographic Impact: Emerging powers (especially China) are actively investing heavily in infrastructure and resources across the Periphery (e.g., the Belt and Road Initiative). This creates new networks and shifts the geographic focus of development and debt away from the traditional Core institutions (IMF/World Bank).

4.2 Geopolitics and Competition

The shifting balance of power inevitably leads to geopolitical competition. Geopolitics refers to how geographic factors (location, resources, territory) influence international relations and power dynamics.

Competition today focuses on:

  • Resource Control: Securing access to vital resources (e.g., oil, rare earth minerals, water).
  • Strategic Locations: Controlling key maritime choke points (e.g., the Suez Canal, Straits of Malacca) essential for trade networks.
  • Cyber Dominance: Controlling technology, data, and digital networks (often leading to cyber warfare and espionage).

4.3 The Concept of Hegemony

A Hegemon is a single state that dominates the global system (economically, militarily, and culturally). Understanding global power requires looking at periods of hegemony (e.g., the UK in the 19th century, the USA post-1945).

As emerging powers rise, we are seeing a shift from unchallenged US hegemony towards a more multipolar world (a world governed by multiple major power centres), increasing complexity and instability in global interactions.

Key Takeaway: Power is decentralizing. Emerging powers are creating new networks and challenging the core, leading to a complex, multi-polar geopolitical environment driven by competition over resources and technology.

Quick Review: Power, Places and Networks

H5: Core Concepts Check

  • Power: Ability to influence or control, exerted through hard (force) or soft (culture) means.
  • Place: Power shapes places, creating the Core-Periphery hierarchy.
  • Networks: The essential pathways (digital, transport, finance) that enable powerful flows and maintain spatial dominance.
  • Sovereignty: Being challenged by TNCs and IGOs, demonstrating the limits of state power in a globalized world.

You've made it through the core HL extension on global power dynamics! Now, apply these concepts by linking specific examples (like trade routes or TNC actions) back to how they reinforce or challenge global power structures. Keep up the great work!