Global Studies Quiz 2

nation

a group with a shared cultural and/or ethnic identity (e.g., Navajo Nation, the Kurds)

state

a geopolitical entity that has a fixed territory with boundaries, a government, a population, and the capacity to interact with other states

nation-state

when a cultural/ethnic group aligns with the boundaries of a state. Or, in other words, when a nation exists within a state. This is what we commonly call a country. A type of state that provides a sovereign territory for a particular nation.

Treaty of Westphalia

Treaty that was signed to bring peace to the Holy Roman Empire after the Thirty Years’ War in Europe. It transitioned Europe away from the feudal system and into the nation-state system. Part of how it did this was by establishing the idea of sovereignty for states, and by weakening the Catholic Church’s power, and subsequently, that of the Holy Roman Empire. It is credited as the origin of our modern nation-state system (aka, the Westphalian System or Anarchic System)

Nationalism

At it’s most basic level: the commitment to and support of the nation’s interests. But also sometimes included in the definition is the promotion of the nation’s culture and interests before that of others, and the belief that one’s nation and culture are superior to others

Empire/imperial system

Domination of a single ruler/power over multiple territories. E.g., the Roman Empire, Spain in the 16th century

Feudal system

A political system in which people are loyal to a leader (e.g., landowner, local lord, distant ruler, or religious leader). Often, this would be someone who owns land, because rulers would distribute land in exchange for loyalty. In this scenario, loyalty might change when the ruler’s life changes (e.g., when they marry). Seen in post-Roman Europe

Anarchic/Westphalian system

Political system in which separate political entities are not united by a common ruler, but rather function independently. Generally said to have originated with the Treaty of Westphalia. This is what we use today. (E.g., Greek city states).

IGO

Intergovernmental organization. An org made up of nation-states that join for specific purposes, like promoting peace, trade, etc. (e.g., WTO, ICC)

NGO

Non-governmental organization. Private and composed of individuals, not nation-states. Often step in when the nation-state isn’t meeting people’s needs. Because of this, NGOs can cause citizens to question the purpose of the nation-state. E.g., Médecins Sans Frontières

MNC/TNC

Multinational/transnational corporation: a corporation that does business in two or more countries (e.g., Toyota, McDonald’s, GM, etc.)

When was the UN created and is it an IGO/NGO or neither?

UN was created in 1945 and it’s an IGO, because it’s made up of member countries

Supranational organization

An organization that contains member nations and can make decisions for those member nations, but relies on those nations to carry out the organization’s decisions (e.g., the EU, World Bank). Member nations willingly sacrifice some of their sovereignty when joining to achieve joint goals.

Supranational

Something that transcends state boundaries and exists beyond the power and authority of a single state. IGOs, NGOs, and TNCs/MNCs are sometimes described as supranational because they operate above the level of nation-states. They don’t really answer to nations—in fact, nations now often answer to them

Land empire vs maritime empire

Land empire: Empires that spread across contiguous land. for most of history, empires spread primarily by land.
Maritime empire: Empires that spread across oceans and expanded into overseas colonies. Require cooperation between countries to travel the seas, as well as more wealth to build ships and travel.

Traditional vs modern/civic nationalism

Traditional nationalism: based on shared ethnic and cultural traits (e.g., language, religion, etc.)

Modern/civic nationalism: based on civic allegiance; the “imagined community.” Members of a nation are more different from one another, but must imagine themselves as part of a collective. Shared commitment to political values, laws, and citizenship rather than shared race, culture, religion, language, ethnicity, etc.

fragile states

states that are very exposed to risks but do not have sufficient coping capacities to manage, absorb, or mitigate those risks. Typically former colonies. Essentially a state whose government is not capable of taking care of its citizens or functioning normally (e.g., South Sudan)

Kurdistan

An unrecognized nation that is made up of the Kurds, an ethnic group found in West Asia/in Iraq and other neighboring countries like Turkey, Syria, and Iran. Many Kurdish people support an independent Kurdistan.

realism

Market globalism (including its 5 claims) vs justice globalism

Market globalism: the dominant ideology that aims to infuse free-market norms and neoliberalism into globalization. Motto/main idea: “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Five claims: 1) globalization is about the liberalization and global integration of markets, 2) globalization is inevitable and irreversible, 3) nobody is in charge of globalization, 4) globalization benefits everyone, and 5) globalization furthers the spread of democracy in the world. Market globalists see the spread of capitalism as synonymous with the spread of democracy. They tend to depoliticize globalization and depict neoliberal policies as “above politics.”

Justice globalism: The more left-leaning view. Motto/main idea: “another world is possible.” Believes that neoliberalism creates crises. Seeks to make globalization more egalitarian and equitable. Focused on solidarity and justice. (E.g., Occupy movement, World Social Forum)

MDGs vs SDGs

MDG: Millennium Development Goals. 8 goals adopted by the UN in 2000 with the aim of completing them by 2015
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals. 17 goals adopted by the UN in 2015 with the aim of completing them by 2030