Political Geography Lecture Full

Ethnicity

Identity with a group of people who share cultural traditions of a specific region.

Ethnic Enclave

A community of an ethnic group inside an area dominated by another ethnic group.

Race

Identity with a group of people who are perceived to share a physiological trait, such as skin color.

Racism

Belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and that racial differences produce superiority.

Great Migration

The movement of millions of African Americans from the South to the North for better job opportunities between 1910 and 1970.

Apartheid

The physical separation of different races into different geographic areas, particularly in South Africa.

Nation

A group of people that share a common history, culture, attachment to land, and political identity.

Stateless Nation

Any nation without its own territory, such as the Kurds, Basques, Catalans, and Palestinians.

Balkanization

The breakup of an area into smaller units due to centrifugal forces, often leading to conflict.

Gerrymandering

The redrawing of political boundaries to give a political party an advantage.

Neocolonialism

The control of developing countries by their former colonial powers or more developed countries through economic pressure.

Terrorism

The systematic use of violence by a group to intimidate a population or coerce a government.

Multiethnic State

A state with more than one ethnic group.

Irredentism

Movement to reclaim land to a state based on historic or ethnic attachment.

Sovereignty

The ability of a state to govern itself without external interference.

Democracy

A system in which citizens elect leaders and have the right to run for office.

Federal Government

A system where strong regional governments share power with a central government.

Autocracy

A country run according to the interests of a ruler or small group of leaders.

Anocracy

A country that displays a mix of democracy and autocracy.

Centrifugal Force

Any force that breaks up a country, such as boundary conflict or ethnicity.

Centripetal Force

Any force that unites a country, such as flags or shared religion.

Physical Boundary

Boundaries defined by natural features like mountains, rivers, and deserts.

Relic Boundary

A boundary that no longer exists, such as the one between East and West Germany.

Consequent Boundary

A culturally defined boundary between opposing language, religious, or ethnic groups.

Choke Point

A land feature like a valley or narrow waterway that limits the ability of forces to get through.

Blockbusting

The practice of selling homes to white families at low prices to create fear of black families moving in.

Civil War

A conflict fought over a desire to maintain slavery in the United States.

Holocaust

The largest example of ethnic cleansing in human history.

Tutsis

A minority ethnicity in Rwanda that was in control during the early 20th century.

Latino

Refers to individuals from Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America.