NatGeo Ch 10 & 11 - Spatial Patterns of Political Power & Political Challenges to States

federal state

an organization of a state in which power is shared between the federal government and its internal regional units

unitary state

an organization of a state in which power is concentrated in a central government

concurrent powers

powers shared by the national and state governments

reapportionment

redistribution of representative seats among states based on shifts in population

electoral college

a set of people, called electors, whoa re chosen to elect the president & vice president of the United States

redistricting

the redrawing of internal territorial & political boundaries

gerrymandering

the drawing of legislative boundaries to give one political party an advantage in elections

majority-minority districts

an electoral district in which the majority of voters are members of an ethnic or racial minority

ethnic separatism

the process by which people of a particular ethnicity in a multinational state identify more strongly as members of their ethnic group than as citizens of the state

ethnic cleansing

the process by which a state attacks an ethnic group and tries to eliminate it through expulsion, imprisonment or killing

supranational organization

an alliance of three or more states that work together in pursuit of common goals or to address an issue or challenge

economies of scale

cost reductions that occur when production rises (through increased trade & bargaining power... associated with supranational orgs)

centripetal force

a force that unites a group of people

centrifugal force

a force that divides a group of people

ethnonationalism / ethnic nationalism

the process by which the people of a country identify as having one common ethnicity, religious belief, and language, creating a sense of pride and identity that is tied to the territory