The Importance, Content and Teaching of the Political Geography Course in Social Studies Undergraduate Programs

Abstract

Today, big countries and other countries inside their axes have entered power wars in regions where underground and aboveground sources are important. One of the characteristics of countries where these power wars take place is them not being able to understand the current world politics and elements of political geography. These countries cannot develop modern strategies for current political needs. Like these countries, Turkey has not yet understood the importance of political geography and could not produce an effective work on today’s world politics. We cannot use our regional power in line with our interests due to policies without a specific objective and system and changeable with each government. To use and direct our regional power, tremendous responsibility falls on the shoulders of social studies teachers. Bequeathing the importance of our geopolitical location to young generations is one of the most important responsibilities of social studies teacher candidates. In addition to not being current, the content of political geography course taught in social Studies undergraduate programs are repetition of old information. Therefore, political geography subjects in these programs should be organized according to today’s word politics and more emphasis should be given to the importance of our current geopolitical location. Having an important geopolitical location and being a great power in the Middle East, in a country like Turkey, people should be more aware in this subject.