Economic geography and geopolitical issues of the 21st century - BMEGT30VVV1000-00

The main aim of the course is to provide students with comprehensive knowledge of the fundamental economic geography and geopolitical issues of the 21st century, the importance of geostrategy, the functioning of the world economy and the system of world politics, and the position of key regions and great powers in the world. Through the course, students will get closer to the fundamental questions of our world, they will be expected to be interested in world politics and world economic events, and as a result, they will be able to analyze current world events and news in a professional manner.

1. The student knows the basics of the functioning of the world economy and world politics.
2. The student is familiar with the significance of great power geopolitical/economic strategies and their impact on global, mega-regional and nation-state processes.
3. The student understands the relationship between geopolitical theory and practice.
4. The student understands the current world political news and its impact on the world's economic and political sys-tem.

1. The student is able to interpret great power geopolitical strategies.
2. The student is able to analyze the most important elements of "hard power", "soft power" and the exercise of power through economic means.
3. The student is able to assess the impact of great power geopolitical strategies on individual countries.
4. The student is able to assess the opportunities available to countries to take advantage of the positive opportunities of great power strategies and to avoid (or at least mitigate) the negative effects of these strategies.

1. - The student is able to expertly interpret the local effects of world economic and world political processes.
2. - The student is able to expertly interpret the significance of a given world economic and political situation.
3. - During active years of employment and as a responsible intellectual, the student will be able to interpret cur-rent world economic and political news realistically.

1. In the appropriate field of his/her qualifications, he/she can always responsibly assess the impact of current world economic and political events on his/her workplace.
2. This allows the student will be able to position his/her workplace internationally, taking into ac-count geopolitical risks.
3. As a decision-maker, he/she will be able to responsibly position the operation of his/her work-place at different regional levels based on the effects of various geopolitical processes.

Lectures with interactive elements

• Tankönyvek, jegyzetek, letölthető anyagok – Textbooks, notes and downloadable materials
• 1. Az előadások prezentációi. – PPT of lectures.
• 2. Bernek Ágnes (2025): A geopolitika fejlődéstörténete a 19/.20. század fordulójától a 21. század első ne-gyedévig. Kommentár 2025/4. pp. 53-65.
• 3. Bernek Ágnes-Andrékó Gábor-Faust Anita-Simon László (2023): 2022 – A geopolitika által uralt világ. Té-nyek, kérdőjelek és tendenciák egy bizonytalan világban. Neumann János Egyetem, Neumann Lapkiadó és Kommunikációs Kft., Budapest. ISBN: 978-615-6435-29-3
• 4. Agnes Bernek (2021): Geopolitics of Central and Eastern Europe in the 21st Century. From the Buffer Zone tot he Gateway Zone. Peter Lang GmbH, Berlin. 239.p. ISBN: 978-3-631-81915-9. ISSN: 2199-028X.
• 5. Bernek Ágnes (2018): Közép- és Kelet-Európa a 21. század geopolitikai/geoökonómiai stratégiáiban. A 20. század Nyugat és Kelet közötti ütközőzónájától a 21. század eurázsiai hídtérségéig. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest. ISBN: 978-963-454-198-1
• 6. Agnes Bernek (2015): The „Grand Chessboard” of the 21st Century Geopolitical Strategies of the Mul-ti-polar World. Nemzetbiztonsági Szemle/National Security Review MMXV. III. évf. Különszám/2015 – Special Issue/2015 (HU ISSN 2064-3756) pp. 5-28.
• 7. Bernek Ágnes (2014): 21. századi geopolitikai stratégiák – Az ortodox geopolitika újjászületése és az egyre fokozódó biztonsági kockázatok. Nemzetbiztonsági szemle, II. évf. 3. szám, (HU ISSN 2064-3756) pp. 18-46.

Assessment of learning outcomes described under 2.2. is based on 1 written tests during the semester.

Detailed description of assesments during the semester: 1. Learning unit assessment: the precise from, content and assessment of the written test is to be determined by the lecturer.

• 1. ellenőrző dolgozat/test: 100

Not relevant

The mandatory mid-term cumulative assessment may be retaken or improved during the teaching period in accordance with the Study and Examination Regulations, subject to the payment of the prescribed fees. In the case of improvement, the later result applies.

Consulted with the Faculty Student Representative Committee, approved by the Vice Dean for Education, valid from: 04.05.2026.

The written test at the end of the semester can be retaken and made up according to the general rules on studies and exam fixed by the university.