Some of Latin America’s smallest nations are bearing the brunt of the greatest migrant flows, and this is likely to be a phenomenon that spans the entirety of 2019 and beyond. With many of the nations profiled being increasingly active in the global intelligence and special operations spheres, a good understanding of how they operate will be vital for those seeking to observe our increasingly multipolar world. As a result, its geopolitical shifts in the year to come will not go unnoticed. Literary Figures Sarah Ruden on Virgil . published 1997, avg rating 3.76 — Concurrently, Beijing continues to slowly outmanoeuvre Taipei on the international relations stage, chipping away at the island nation’s foreign support. It is the best description of what life in a multipolar world is like, what politics and war are like for the units involved, of the basic realities of international relations. He uses both well-known and lesser known figures in the various jihadist movements, telling their stories and, in so doing, illustrates a lurid and complex picture of the modern day terrorist. published 2018, avg rating 3.66 — The result is a clear-eyed, dispassionate look at how and why terrorism has been a persistent phenomenon throughout history. As a result, this book is an ideal introduction for students of all levels and an interested public. Europe in 2019 has continued to experience the increasing stresses of demographic changes and immigration; an issue that has been leveraged heavily by the continent’s political right and continues to influence elections and referendums. 1,762 ratings — published 1989, avg rating 3.79 — Relentless Strike: The Secret History of Joint Special Operations Command (Sean Naylor). We came up with this list based on extensive research. Best books of 2019: Sport. Buy Geopolitics books from Waterstones.com today. updated Dec 23, 2010 08:36AM — The winner of 2019's Wainwright Golden Beer Book Prize, a UK-based award for nature books, Underland is a true masterpiece of naturalism, one that will have you in … Prepare to read some of your new favorite books at Barnes & Noble®'s New York Times Best Sellers section. Where Reasons End by Yiyun Li. June 5, 2019 Geopolitics101 4 Comments Yes, you can ‘judge a book by its cover’, especially if the ‘book’ is the ‘Deal of the Century’ and the ‘cover’ lauds two con men, Trump and Netanyahu. (Hardcover), Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (Paperback), Flashpoints: The Emerging Crisis in Europe (Hardcover), The Silk Roads: A New History of the World (Hardcover), The Next Decade: What the World Will Look Like (Hardcover), Disunited Nations: Succeeding in a World Where No One Gets Along (ebook), Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World's Oceans (Hardcover), The Absent Superpower: The Shale Revolution and a World Without America (Hardcover), The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Paperback), Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 (Paperback), Divided: Why We're Living in an Age of Walls (Hardcover), The New Silk Roads: The Present and Future of the World (Hardcover), AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order (Hardcover), The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000 (Paperback), The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power (Paperback), The Dawn of Eurasia: On the Trail of the New World Order (Hardcover), The Hundred-Year Marathon: China's Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower (Hardcover), The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia (Paperback), The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century (Hardcover), Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of Flags (Hardcover), The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism (Hardcover), Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis (Hardcover), The Return of Marco Polo's World: War, Strategy, and American Interests in the Twenty-First Century (Hardcover), Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance (Paperback), The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World (Hardcover), Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (Paperback), Has China Won? The following are the team’s recommendations of regionally-focused books worth reading to get ahead of the major events and geopolitical movements that we anticipate will shape 2019: Europe in 2018 has continued to experience the increasing stresses of demographic changes and immigration; an issue that has been leveraged heavily by the continent’s political right and continues to influence elections and referendums. Once untouchable, Xi Jinping’s cult of personality-like popularity has also taken several small blows in 2018 leading many to question the extent of his acceptance across China. The following are recommended for understanding the key players in the White House: In addition to the turbulent administration, increasingly stressed internal divisions have gripped America in 2018, and will almost certainly continue to deepen in the coming year. published 2011, avg rating 4.24 — This Land Is Our Land: An Immigrant’s Manifesto, Suketu Mehta published 2017, avg rating 3.99 — Ukrainian churches and the clergy were not idle bystanders to the Euromaidan Revolution, but active participants in it as they sought a new path for Ukraine as a European nation. For the contribution of maps to strategic action and geopolitics, see John Hillen, “For eign Policy by Map: What Geopolitics is, and Why We need It,” National Review, Feb. 23, 2015, Encyclopedia Geopolitica readers have access to a 30-day free trial for Kindle Unlimited, allowing them to sample over 1 million ebooks and thousands of audiobooks. Find our best selection and offers online, with FREE Click & Collect or UK delivery. The Best Books of 2019. 6,189 ratings — What could be a thoroughly disheartening topic is actually interesting, unbiased, and thoughtful. Understanding this schism, along with the wider Ukraine-Russia conflict is strongly advised for geopolitical observers in 2019: To Russia’s West in the Baltics, the buildup of NATO forces is ongoing, while the Kremlin has responded in kind inside the Kaliningrad oblast and Russia itself. Despite this, next year will almost certainly see the group continuing to pose risks globally. Taking a thematic approach which incorporates ethnic conflicts, religious extremism and ancient aristocracies getting fat off of bewildering levels of corruption, Vatikiotis shows how the social and political problems of Southeast Asia are deeply rooted in the region’s history. Much like the equally excellent Narconomics by Tom Wainwright, Federico Varese’s Mafia Life is an investigation that reveals the deep complexity within criminal networks beyond typical assumptions, gory headlines and Netflix tropes. Understanding the extent and influence of Islamism across the region will be important for understanding the geopolitics of Southeast Asia in 2019: In South Asia, 2019 is expected to be a significant year in terms of state politics. Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World (Politics of Place) published 2015, avg rating 3.76 — It ploughs effortlessly from Inca militias, to the Zulus, to Messerschmidt pilots and Finnish snipers, all the way to the American troops in today’s Afghanistan, detailing how their exploits have been advanced or even ruined by getting high. published 2015, avg rating 3.84 — Looking for More Science? Geopolitics is best understood in its historical and discursive context of use. The 50 best books of 2019 Save ... Evaristo’s verse novel about black British women felt fresher and funnier than 2019’s other Booker winner, Atwood’s The Testaments. 13,940. 16 Best Political Books to Read Before the 2021 Election Dive into candidate memoirs, the Mueller report, and narrative histories to stay informed for November 2020. Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need To Know About Global Politics: Amazon.co.uk: Tim Marshall: 9781783961412: Books. 93% Upvoted. Naylor, a senior writer for Army Times, traces the Command’s lineage from the failed Desert One fiasco that sparked the need for better coordination between elite Special Mission Units, the friction it encountered from military bureaucracy to its initial growing pains to its current role as the centrepiece of GWOT. 12,151 ratings — While some of the scenarios seem repetitive, each scenario has a rotating panel of experts weigh in on the morality of each course of action that the U.S. should take, including religious leaders, military officers, public officials, former State Department executives, as well as current and former intelligence professionals. See below for a selection of the latest books from Geopolitics category. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. 1 person liked it, 1 chapters — Grossman’s book provides a sweeping history of drone warfare (largely within the American context), and explores the myriad of strategic motivations and political controversies that have underpinned two decades of U.S.-centric warfare. Book Riot. (BILLION PHOTOS/Shutterstock) Editor's Note. 17 Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List. Becoming Michelle Obama. $10.76. 4.7 out of 5 stars 48,056. Introducing the definitive list of the best books of 2019. Goodreads. Sort by. Discover the most talked about and praised books this year according to Barnes & Noble and media like The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and The Washington Post.Explore the best books of the past decade to see what was popular throughout the years! Lewis Tallon – Chief Editor and EMEA Analyst, To Dare More Boldly: The Audacious Story of Political Risk (John C. Hulsman). While many regimes may continue to target seemingly bigger issues throughout 2019, this may leave them under prepared for the driving undercurrents of the Middle Eastern street, and the following is recommended for deeper insight into the nuanced perspectives one should have about the coming changes: Asia has continued to draw focus in 2018 as tensions between the United States and China have simmered on and President Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy course has placed economic relations in the region on a knife edge. Using this basis, the book then looks forward to the future of terrorism to attempt to peek behind the curtain to see what we can expect from the next act of history. America: the Farewell Tour (Chris Hedges). ‘The Future of Terrorism‘ is an inspired piece of history, which also aims to predict the future of terrorism and political violence. By Liz Cantrell Dedicated to the memory of her own son, who killed himself aged 16, Li’s book takes the form of a … First, observing the energy flows within a complex system provides a first principles based perspective of that system. published -500, avg rating 3.78 — Austin, Texas, United States About Blog Your source for what matters in the world, founded by geopolitical forecaster George Friedman, who also founded the geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor. Understanding the region’s precarious and often ageing monarchies will continue to prove vital in 2019, with several possible opportunities for royal successions throughout MENA. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian. As a fellow drone researcher, however, it was the final sections of the book which drew my interest the most. Autocratic actions and political machinations also continue to be seen across the region, but beyond the palace walls other forces are beginning to take root across the region. Central Asia flies well beneath the global radar screen, with Afghanistan being the exception that proves the rule. Through compelling interviews with former militants, Raquel da Silva presents an analytical insight into how individuals in Portugal engaged and subsequently disengaged with politically violent organisations. Our contributors include Military officers, Geopolitical Intelligence analysts, Corporate Security professionals, Government officials, Academics and Journalists from around the globe. Beyond violent Portuguese militants, the book serves as an effective handbook for understanding how narratives of violence can inspire militancy in various regions of the world. 2,705 ratings — As 2019 comes to a close, these are the 112 books we've loved most. When considering how conflicts and disputes arise and are resolved, it is necessary to include the effects of international law and how readily a nation is willing to adhere to, cast aside, or even take advantage of the stability offered by a world in which interactions between states are governed by laws. The book is the product of a clearly fruitful partnership between Walter Laqueur, a renowned historian who sadly recently passed away, and Christopher Wall an expert in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency. published 2017, avg rating 4.23 — Relentless Strike traces the history of the mysterious military organisation that has been at the forefront of the Global War on Terror (GWOT). published 2006, avg rating 3.89 — The following are recommended reading: In Southeast Asia, the collapse of the Levantine Islamic State will likely carry locally-felt ramifications. By Katy Waldma n. Video. He argues this is the reason why India has been continuously pushing for a South Asian Customs Union, Common Currency and maybe even a South Asian Parliament. 2,347 ratings — Across Central & South Asia and Africa, Chinese infrastructure projects continue to develop while little by little, small contingents of Chinese security forces are deployed in force-protection roles, garnering much suspicion along the way. The author continuously references the seminal treatise Kautilya’s Arthashastra; an ancient Indian manuscript on economic and political statecraft. Follow the topics in this article FT Readers Add to myFT. Thesiger does them a service with his observations. published 1997, avg rating 3.93 — Drawing on his decades of experience as both a journalist and a conflict negotiator in the region, Blood and Silk paints a vivid picture of modern Southeast Asia in all its myriad complexities. During his tenure as foreign secretary and National Security Advisor, the author was party to various events such as the Mumbai terror attacks – which strained ties between India and Pakistan – and the Indo-U.S. Nuclear Deal among others. Rojava: An Alternative to Imperialism, Nationalism, and Islamism in the Middle East, The Man Who Created the Middle East: A Story of Empire, Conflict and the Sykes-Picot Agreement, The Terror Years: From al-Qaeda to the Islamic State, The Age of Jihad: Islamic State and the Great War for the Middle East, The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State, The Syrian Jihad: Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the Evolution of an Insurgency, The Counter-Terrorism Handbook: Tactics, Procedures and Techniques, Harpoon: Inside the Covert War Against Terrorism’s Money Masters, Libya remains tattered and in a state of turmoil, French and U.S. counterterrorism missions, Terror and Insurgency in the Sahara-Sahel Region, Sowing Chaos: Libya in the Wake of Humanitarian Intervention, Security Cooperation in West Africa and the Sahel, From Empires to NGOs in the West African Sahel, Unfinished Revolutions: Yemen, Libya, and Tunisia after the Arab Spring, Global NATO and the Catastrophic Failure in Libya, The Politics of Islam in the Sahel: Between Persuasion and Violence, The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know, People Like Us: Misrepresenting the Middle East, Saudi Arabia in Transition: Insights on Social, Political, Economic and Religious Change, Oman: Politics and Society in the Qaboos State, Algeria Modern: From Opacity to Complexity, Politics and Power in the Maghreb: Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco from Independence to the Arab Spring. From page-turning fiction to conversation-starting nonfiction and poetry, here are 100 books from 2019 that are worth reading. The reshaping of postwar Syria will be a central theme in 2019’s major geopolitical landscape, along with the now-receding ambition of an independent Kurdish nation as a result of the conflict. The territorial claims pushed in the South China Sea by Beijing have continued to agitate regional and international naval operations, and much of the past year has been dedicated to discussing a possible conflict in the theatre. We asked you to share and recommend what you’ve been reading . Learn more. published 2012, avg rating 4.20 — Despite the abrupt drop in terrorism-related deaths in Europe in 2018, Islam and migration-related issues continue to be heavily scrutinised from a security and political perspective. The following are worth reading for a better understanding of this situation: In the south, Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. The Marsh Arabs wetland context is all but gone now thanks to the Saddam Baathist era, but it serves as a warning from history of the fragility of a people who had existed untroubled for 5000 years and who were suddenly swept away by “progress”. Narratives of Political Violence: Life Stories of Former Militants (Raquel da Silva). Useful links. 539 ratings — published 2011, avg rating 4.15 — In his treatise On China, Henry Kissinger brings his great experience and deep knowledge of history together to show how China has always taken its own path in international affairs. The chapters are engaging and short enough to digest quickly, and give an eye-opening look into intelligence operations “elsewhere”. Read the best books 2019 has to offer (we're here to guide you through your ultimate reading list). Second, getting a grasp on oil politics prompts one to read up on and synthesize ancillary topics such as history, financial markets, and game theory. While both books are now several months old, not much of President Trump’s past has been revealed through other more official channels, keeping these books relevant and fascinating. This book gives an insider’s point of view to how one of the 21st Century’s rising powers made key decisions that will have long-term effects for India, and perhaps the world. Presented with a red border are the Geopolitics books that have been lovingly read and reviewed by the experts at Lovereading. The following are advised reading ahead of the election: In South Africa, drought, economics and land politics have grabbed headlines in 2018, and are likely to prove increasingly more problematic in the coming year. Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’ Trap? Walberg defines geopolitics as “the use of politics in controlling territories, where certain geographic positions are more strategic than others, for resources, historical and socio-political reasons (19). published 2014, avg rating 4.24 — See all 31 stories. Winner of the 2019 ENMISA Distinguished Book Award from the International Studies Association. Choices, Inside the Making of India’s foreign Policy (Shivshankar Menon). Europe in 2018 has continued to experience the increasing stresses of demographic changes and immigration; an issue that has been leveraged heavily by the continent’s political right and continues to influence elections and referendums. The following reads are suggested in order to better understand the conditions that gave birth to the movement, the likely course of Islamic Extremism in 2019, and the strategies that will be employed to counter them: Libya remains tattered and in a state of turmoil, with rival governments competing for legitimacy while international powers remain divided over which factions to support. This book, by former Foreign Secretary of India Shivshankar Menon, describes the crucial choices India has made in recent history with respect to its foreign policy goals. GPF is non-ideological, analyzes the world and forecasts the future using geopolitics: political, economic, military and geographic dimensions at the foundation of a nation. The 51 Best Books of 2019 Keeping up with all of the latest must-read books can quickly turn into an overwhelming endeavor -- leave the sorting of what's good and what's bad to us. The author espouses the view that its integration, transcending previous cultural boundaries, is and should be the ultimate goal of New Delhi’s foreign policy. Little understood, the conflict has wide-reaching influence over much of the continent, and remains one of the world’s most pressing humanitarian crises. Understanding South African domestic politics will be important for those seeking to understand the powerhouse of the southern African region in 2019: As the modern centre of global geopolitcal power, the United States of America has continued unsurprisingly to overwhelm geopolitical discourse in 2018. I very much look forward to reading more of Grossman’s work on ‘the age of the drone terrorist’ in the years to come. This award-winning philosophical analysis of drone warfare may be small in stature, but it packs a punch. Divided: Why We’re Living in an Age of Walls (Tim Marshall). PS: If you're looking for the best science books for kids we've got you covered! published 2005, avg rating 3.77 — As the site’s Editor, I would also like to extend a special thanks to our hardworking volunteer analysis and writing team; without whom this would not be possible. Austin, Texas, United States About Blog Your source for what matters in the world, founded by geopolitical forecaster George Friedman, who also founded the geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor.