Internationalization of Geography in the Bipolar World: Socialist Countries During the Cold War

The chapter’s purpose is to examine interactions between geographers of socialist countries with IGU and the world geographical community at large in 1945–1990. The authors consider some specific national trends in the development of geography in the former USSR, Poland, and China under the conditions of ideological constraints and geopolitical tensions. A special attention is paid to the forms and impact of internationalization on geography in these countries and the ways of the dissemination of scientific information. The authors show that participation of geographers from their countries in the activities of IGU was of particular importance in the extension of international contacts. It improved the positions of geography in the country and at the same time stimulated the use of new methods and approaches in geographical studies, and allowed spreading of national geographical concepts abroad. A particular role in internationalization belonged to academic leaders. In general, the development of geographical science in socialist countries follows the global paradigm.