Theoretical Explanation of Strategic Region Concept After the Cold War

The concept of strategic region is one of the fundamental concepts that are studied in the Geopolitics, International relation and political sciences literature. Generally, finding the theoretical and practical indicators of strategic region has been one of the important tasks of scholars and scientist in these fields. They have always tried to argue different indicators regarding various conditions of the world and also to encourage the politicians for access and control these regions. So, it is clear that this concept like other concepts in the domain of geopolitics has dynamic nature and during the history has been regenerated and redefined resulting from change in governments views related to sources creating power and competition. In this regard, with end of the Cold War and the collapse of bipolar system, the indicators of strategic region concept and its corresponding indicators are differentiated with the past which is not dealt with current years. Because of lack of comprehensive research about strategic region concept there is now the theoretical and conceptual chaos about the applications of this concept in different text. In the main question is “what are the major indicators of strategic region and place after cold war? The research methodology adopted is descriptive- analytic and the data- gathering procedure is based on library finding. Before the collapse of bipolar system, strategic region had ideological basis. Until the end of the Cold War, the IR had determined the important region or places based on the value assumptions. In other words, they had specified their friends or foes, trust or mistrust and fear or comfort related to other authorities and based on places and geographic areas importance. So, buffer regions between the two superpower and their allies was consider as strategic region. But after end of the Cold War, strategic places and region comprise of geographic area that present the infrastructure of development and welfare. In other words, this place and region have big potential for producing and presenting vital outflows of power such as energy, financing, information, insecurity etc. that gaining without them power is not possible. Research finding reveal that today geographic regions which large scale and global outflows, networks and process emerge from them could consider among strategic regions. As we said, these regions present infrastructures of power, development etc. so, the strategic regions and places have two main characteristics: 1- High geopolitical weight in the world. 2 - Sphere of global influence currents flowing from these areas.