-Unit 4- Political Processes and Power

state

has a defined boundary, contains a permanent population, maintains sovereignty over its domestic and international affairs, and is recognized by other states

sovereignty

Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states.

nation

a group of people who have a common cultural heritage, a set of beliefs and values that unify them, a traditional claim to a particular space as their homeland, and a desire to establish their own state or express self-rule in another way

nation-state

a nation of people who fulfill the qualifications of a state (Iceland or Japan)

multinational state

a country that contains more than one nation (Canada)

autonomous region

an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or has freedom from an external authority (Aland)

semiautonomous region

A state that has a degree of, but not complete, self-rule;

(the Navajo nation)

stateless nation

a group of people with a common political identity who do not have a territorially defined, sovereign country of their own (Kurds)

multistate nation

nation that transcends the borders of two or more states (Korea)

nationalism

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

centripetal force

An attitude that tends to unify people and enhance support for a state

centrifugal force

a force that divides people and countries

imperialism

A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries poitically, socially, and economically.

colonialism

a type of imperialism in which people move into and settle on the land of another country

Berlin Conference

A meeting from 1884-1885 at which representatives of European nations agreed on rules for the colonization of Africa

self-determination

the right of people to choose their own form of government

decolonization

The acquisition, by colonized peoples, of control over their own territory.

genocide

systematic killing of a racial or cultural group

Cold War

the power struggle between the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II

satellite states

Eastern European states under the control of the Soviet Union during the Cold War

devolution

The process whereby regions within a state demand and gain political strength and growing autonomy at the expense of the central government.

geopolitics

study of government and its policies as affected by physical geography

territoriality

In political geography, a country's or more local community's sense of property and attachment toward its territory, as expressed by its determination to keep it inviolable and strongly defended.

neocolonialism

Also called economic imperialism, this is the domination of newly independent countries by foreign business interests that causes colonial-style economies to continue, which often caused monoculture (a country only producing one main export like sugar, oil, etc).

choke point

a strategic, narrow waterway between two larger bodies of water

physical geographic boundaries

natural barriers between areas such as oceans, deserts, and mountains

cultural boundaries

borders based on culture traits, like language and religion

antecedent boundary

a boundary that existed before the cultural landscape emerged and stayed in place while people moved in to occupy the surrounding area...

subsequent boundary

a boundary that developed with the evolution of the cultural landscape and is adjusted as the cultural landscape changes...

ethnographic

observing social interactions in real social settings

superimposed boundary

a political boundary placed by powerful outsiders on a developed human landscape

Berlin Conference

A meeting from 1884-1885 at which representatives of European nations agreed on rules colonization of Africa

landlocked states

state surrounded by other land with no direct outlet to the sea

relic boundary

A boundary no longer observed but that still affects the present-day area (e.g. border between West and East Germany in Berlin)

geometric boundary

a boundary that follows a geometric pattern

consequent boundary

A type of subsequent boundary that is drawn to accommodate existing linguistic, cultural, or religious boundaries

cultural consequent boundary

a border that is drawn taking into account language, ethnicity, religion, or other cultural traits

physical consequent boundary

a division that uses already-existing natural features that divide a territory such as rivers, deserts, or mountains

open boundary

a boundary where crossing is unimpeded

militarized boundary

A boundary that is heavily guarded and discourages crossing and movement.

defined boundary

one established by a legal

document, such as a treaty.

delimited boundary

A boundary DRAWN and agreed upon; drawing of a boundary

demarcated boundary

A boundary demarcated (marked) by some visible means on the ground. Ex. wall posts, fences, etc.

definitional boundary dispute

occurs when two or more parties disagree over how to interpret the legal documents or maps that identify the boundary

locational boundary disputes (territorial disputes)

border disputes that center on where a boundary should be, how it is delimited, or how it is demarcated (who possesses the land)

irredentism

a policy of cultural extension and potential political expansion by a country aimed at a group of its nationals living in a neighboring country

operational boundary dispute (functional dispute)

centers not on where a boundary is, but how it functions

allocational boundary dispute (resource dispute)

A boundary dispute that involves conflicting claims to the natural resources of a border region.

administered boundary

a border that is actively managed, protected, and administered by a sovereign government

controlled borders

boundaries that have checkpoints where a passport or visa are required to enter the country

exclaves

A segment of land that is apart from the mainland of its country (Hawaii and Alaska)

political enclaves

states, territories, or parts of a state or territory that are completely surrounded by the territory of another state

shatterbelt

a region caught between stronger colliding external cultural-political forces, under persistent stress, and often fragmented by aggressive rivals (e.g., Israel or Kashmir today; Eastern Europe during the Cold War,...).

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

made between 1973 and 1982, and signed by more than 150 countries, it defines four zones of territory that deal with the high seas

territorial sea

a belt of coastal waters extending at most 12 nautical miles from the baseline of a coastal state

contiguous zone

Between 12 and 24 nautical miles from shore, a state may enforce laws concerning pollution, taxation, customs, and immigration

exclusive economic zone (EEZ)

the seazone extending 200 nautical miles from the coast over which a state has special rights as to the exploration and use of marine resources

high seas

Areas of seas considered beyond territorial waters.

small island developing state (SIDS)

Control nearly 30% of all oceans and seas and their EEZs are much larger than their landmass

internal boundaries

physical, cultural, or geometric boundaries within a country (such as provinces or states)

electoral geography

the study of the geographical elements of the organization and results of elections

voting districts

Internal boundaries that divide a country's electorate into subnational regions

electorate

the citizens eligible to vote

census

the official count of a population

reapportionment

the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

redistricting

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.

gerrymandering

the drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent

cracking

spreading voters of one type over many districts where they will comprise minorities that are unable to influence elections

packing

concentrating partisan voters in a single district in order to maximize the number of representatives that can be elected by the opposition in other districts

stacking

diluting a minority populated district with majority populations

hijacking

redrawing two districts in order to force two elected representatives of the same party to run against each other

kidnapping

moving an area where an elected representative has support to an area where he or she does not have support

federal state

An internal organization of a state that allocates most powers to units of local government.

unitary state

An internal organization of a state that places most power in the hands of central government officials

annexation

The adding of a region to the territory of an existing political unit.

devolution

Transferring responsibility for policies from the federal government to state and local governments.

ethnic separatism

when an ethnic group desires to separate from the larger group

ethnic cleansing

the systematic killing or extermination of an entire people or nation

terrorism

The systematic use of violence by a group in order to intimidate a population or coerce a government into granting its demands.

irredentism

The policy of a state wishing to incorporate within itself territory inhabited by people who have ethnic or linguistic links with the country but that lies within a neighboring state.

autonomous regions

provinces that have been granted a certain degree of political and cultural autonomy, or freedom from centralized authority by the government

subnationalism

describes people who have a primary allegiance to a traditional group or ethnicity

balkanization

The contentious political process by which a state may break up into smaller countries.

globalization

growth to a global or worldwide scale

supranationalism

term applied to associations created by three or more states for their mutual benefit and achievement of shared objectives

United Nations (UN)

an organization of independent states formed in 1945 to promote international peace and security

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

a group of 28 countries that has agreed to protect each other in case of attack; founded in 1949

European Union (EU)

a free trade zone encompassing 27 European countries

United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)

Free-trade agreement among the United States, Mexico, and Canada that replaced NAFTA in an effort to create more balanced and reciprocal trade.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

A trading alliance of 10 Southeast Asian nations

Arctic Council

: A multilateral organization composed of representatives

from the eight circumpolar states and six indigenous organizations.

African Union

organization formed in 2002 to promote unity among African states and to foster development and end poverty

World Trade Organization (WTO)

a permanent global institution to promote international trade and to settle international trade disputes

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

coordinates and unifies its members' petroleum policies in order to stabilize oil markets

transnational corporations

A company that conducts research, operates factories, and sells products in many countries, not just where its headquarters or shareholders are located.

democratization

A process of transition as a country attempts to move from an authoritarian form of government to a democratic one.

time-space compression

the rapid innovation of communication and transportation technologies associated with globalization that transforms the way people think about space and time

centrifugal forces

Forces that tend to divide a country.

centripetal forces

Forces that tend to unite or bind a country together.

regionalism

loyalty to the interests of a particular region over the country as a whole