The Geopolitical economy of ‘resource wars’

Abstract

Geopolitical concerns about so-called 'resource wars' have mostly focused on international resource competition, and the vulnerability of resource supply. This article presents an alternative view emphasizing the political and economic vulnerabilitites of resource-dependent states in relation to resource-linked armed conflicts. It then outlines how the geopolitics of resource competition, the history, identity formation, political economy, and characteristics of resource exploitation, as well as the financial opportunities afforded in part by businesses to belligerents can help to understand the geographies of 'resources wars'. Finally, the study suggests that curtailing resource access by belligerents can assist in the termination of conflicts, but that long-term solutions pass through fairer and more accountable political economy of internationally traded resources at both a domestic and global level.