On the relevance of Carl Schmitt's concept of Großraum in contemporary international politics

Since the end of the Cold War, a number of authors have affirmed the relevance of Carl Schmitt's concept of Gro ss raum for contemporary international politics. This article reviews those claims and argues that Gro ss raum has little to offer in analytical terms to enhance our understanding of the international political situation in this early twenty-first century. Those authors who wish to revive Gro ss raum for the sake of their theoretical work overlook vitally important components of this concept. Furthermore, their claims fail to meet the criteria of Reinhart Koselleck's structural iterability.