APHG Unit 4 Political Patterns and Processes

Ethnic Group

a group of people with similar a common cultural heritage, unifying beliefs and values, a common homeland based on tradition, who may or may not seek political autonomy.

Race

social construct based on the categorization of a group of people who share biological ancestry or features

State

political unit with a permanent population, boundaries, sovereignty, and recognition by other states

Sovereignty

final authority over a territory

Nation

A group of people with a common cultural heritage, unifying beliefs and values, a common homeland based on tradition, and desire to be a state or express self-determination.

Nation-State

a state with a single nation

Multinational State

a state with two or more nations

Multiethnic State

a state with two or more groups

Autonomous Region

An area which governs itself within a parent state and is not an independent country.

Stateless nation

a nation who don't have their own independent state

Multistate Nation

A nation living across two or more states.

Nationalism

a nation's desire to create and maintain a state of its own

Centripetal Force

forces within a state that promote unity and national stability

Centrifugal Force

forces within a state that destabilize or weaken it

Imperialism

a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Colonialism

the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

Berlin Conference

a meeting (1884-1885) between European nations to divide Africa among them for colonization with the intent of preventing conflict over the process

Self-Determination

the belief that a group of people within a state have the right to determine their own political status, government, economic activities, and social development.

Decolonization

the undoing of colonization, in which indigenous people reclaim sovereignty over their territory

Devolution

the transfer of decision-making power from a central government to a lower level

Territoriality

expressed ownership over a defined space

Neocolonialism

form of indirect control through the use of economic/political pressures to control or influence other countries, especially former colonies in which they continue to be exploited

Physical Boundaries

natural barriers between areas (ex: oceans, deserts, mountains)

Militarized Boundaries

is heavily guarded and discourages crossing and movement

Cultural Boundaries

divide people according to some cultural division, such as language, religion, or ethnicity

Antecedent Boundaries

A boundary drawn before a large population was present

Subsequent Boundaries

A boundary drawn to accommodate religions, ethnic, linguistic, or economic differences→ due to changes

Consequent Boundaries

Coincides with some preexisting cultural divide, such as religion, culture→ sometimes, the culture has ALWAYS BEEN THERE, but a new consequent boundary is implemented to honor an ethnic group

Superimposed Boundaries

boundary that is drawn by powerful outsiders and often ignores existing cultural groups

Landlocked States

states without territory connected to an ocean

Relic Boundary

A boundary that no longer exists, but evidence of it still exists on the landscape

Geometric Boundary

A straight line or arc drawn by people that does not follow any physical feature closely

Defined Boundary

boundaries established by a legal document (treaty) that divides one entity from another (invisible line)

Delimited Boundary

boundaries drawn on a map by a cartographer

Demarcated Boundary

boundaries identified by physical objects placed on the landscape (signs, walls, fences)

Administered Boundary

boundaries that are maintained or enforced by a government

Shatterbelt

a location between two groups/countries that have tense relationships.

Open Boundaries

crossing is unimpeded

UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)

established rights and responsibilities of states concerning ownership, use of oceans and seas, and their resources

Territorial Sea

zone of water adjacent to a state's coast (12 miles) in which a state has sovereignty

Contiguous Zone

zone of water adjacent to Territorial Sea (24 miles) in which state can enforce customs, immigration, and sanitation laws

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

zone of water adjacent to Contiguous Zone (200 miles) in which a state has the right to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage resources

High Seas (International Waters)

ocean beyond the EEZ in which all states have equal access

Voting Districts

subdivision for electing members to a legislative body

Redistricting

when voting districts are redrawn due to changes in population

Gerrymandering

redistricting in an unfair manner that gives advantage to a particular political party by concentrating voting strength

Federal State

state where there is a division in power between a central

government and local territories/provinces/States/oblasts

e.g. Canada, U.S., Russia

Unitary State

state that is governed as a single unit with a central top down

form of form of governance where local territories only have

power that is granted by the central government

e.g. U.K., France, Spain, China, Italy

Ethnic Separatism

The advocacy of full political separation (or secession) from the larger group along cultural, ethnic, tribal, or governmental lines

Terrorism

organized violence aimed at government and civilian targets that is intended to create fear in furtherance of political aims

Irredentism

a movement to unite by people who share a language or other cultural elements but are divided by a national boundary

Balkanization

the fragmentation of a state or region into smaller, often hostile, units along ethno-linguistic lines

Globalization

the integration of markets, states, communication, and trade on a worldwide scale

Supranationalism

political and/or economic alliance of three or more states that is formed for mutual benefit to promote shared goals and resolve disputes, but can limit the economic or political actions of member states creating a challenge to state sovereignty

United Nations (UN)

union formed to promote international world peace and security after WWII, comprised of 6 principal organs that meet to decide on common issues and policies

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

military alliance formed after WWII between the US, Canada, and 26 European states to ensure mutual assistance in times of aggression

European Union (EU)

economic alliance between European countries (1992) that established free trade and open borders and a common currency (Eurozone)

Ethnonationalism

support for the political interests of a particular ethnic group, especially its national independence or self-determination.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

economic alliance to gradually eliminate tariffs and trade barriers between the U.S., Canada, Mexico- enacted in 1994

United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA)

Economic supranational organization that was renegotiated in 2020 between the US, Canada, and Mexico which aims to eliminate all tariff and non-tariff barriers of trade between member state

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

economic alliance aimed at improving development in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and Brunei

World Trade Organization (WTO)

Economic supranational organization that aims to regulate and facilitate international trade between states

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

supranational organization that aims to coordinate and unify its members' petroleum policies in order to stabilize oil markets

World Health Organization (WHO)

Social/Cultural supranational organization that aims to help all people attain the highest possible level of health

Red Cross/Red Crescent

Social/Cultural supranational organization that aims to help prevent and alleviate human suffering

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Economic supranational organization that aims to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, and reduce poverty around the world

Arab League

Political supranational organization between 22 Arab countries that aims to promote trade and economic growth as well as sovereignty and political stability

International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)

Political supranational organization that aims to facilitate worldwide police cooperation and crime control