The Genesis of Geopolitics and Friedrich Ratzel

Dr. Alexandros Stogiannos received his PhD in Geopolitics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UoA), (Faculty of Turkish & Modern Asian Studies / School of Economics and Political Sciences), where Geopolitics is taught on both an undergraduate and a postgraduate level. He has authored multiple individual articles on the German geographer Friedrich Ratzel and his ideas, published in international journals in Germany and Greece. His research interests focus primarily on Systemic Geopolitical Analysis, as well as on the Theory and History of Geopolitics. In his published case studies he emphasises on the implementation of Machine Learning methods, such as Data Mining. Dr. Alexandros Stogiannos is a Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Geocultural Analyses of the Greater Middle East and Turkey (Faculty of Turkish & Modern Asian Studies), and a Lecturer at the MSc degree programme Geostrategic Synthesis and Defence Studies and International Security of the same Faculty. Aside from his academic career, Dr. Stogiannos has also established the ERASMOS Language School (Corfu) were he is still co-manager and head of the German department. He is also a former political reporter and editor.

1. Friedrich Ratzel and Geopolitics.- 2. F. Ratzel's State as a "social organism".- 3. Living space (Lebensraum): Bio-geographical signifier with political-geographical signified?.- 4. Social / cultural aspects as factors of power contibutors in Ratzel's state analysis and the issue of racism.- 5. Ratzel's worldview (Weltanschauung)  and the "Positivist Circle of Leipzig". The meaning of Ratzel's law.- 6. Ratzel, Central Europe (Mitteleuropa) and "European Union".- 7. Fr. Ratzel and the Eastern Question: Flag follows trade.- 8. Final Conclusions.