ABSTRACT
The chapter explores the field of geo-economics from a conceptual and historical perspective. It develops a definition of geo-economics, distinguishes it from geopolitics and discusses different contemporary facets of the concept, emphasising the role of geo-economics as a key dimension of grand strategy. It then outlines the historical evolution of geo-economic studies, showing their links to the discipline of geopolitics. This evolution is divided into four generations, classical geo-economics, which emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, a second generation from the 1970s and 1980s, a third generation from the 1990s and contemporary approaches. In the conclusion, the chapter argues that geo-economics and geopolitics should be seen together under the framework of geostrategy.
