Political Geography and Sociocultural Constructs

These flashcards cover key concepts related to ethnicity, race, political geography, and sociocultural constructs as presented in the lecture notes.

What is the distinction between ethnicity and race?

Ethnicity is based on cultural traditions associated with a particular homeland, while race is a social construct usually based on physical and biological traits.

What is the definition of reapportionment?

Reapportionment is the redistribution of seats in the House of Representatives among states based on population changes.

What is gerrymandering?

Gerrymandering is the manipulation of district boundaries to give one political party or group an advantage.

What does the term 'white flight' refer to?

White flight refers to the phenomenon of white residents moving out of urban neighborhoods when minority populations move in, often relocating to the suburbs.

Define Queer Theory.

Queer Theory is a way of thinking that questions traditional ideas about gender and sexuality.

What is Apartheid?

Apartheid was a system of legal racial segregation and discrimination where the government separated people based on race and favored the white minority.

What triggered the partition of British India in 1947?

The partition was primarily based on religious lines, creating India for Hindus and Pakistan for Muslims.

What is ethnic cleansing?

Ethnic cleansing is the forced removal of an ethnic or religious group from an area to create a more uniform population.

Explain Wallerstein's World Systems Theory.

Wallerstein's theory posits that the modern global economy was formed during the colonial era, creating a system of core countries that are rich and powerful, and periphery countries that are poorer and less developed.

What is a stateless nation?

A stateless nation is a group of people who share a common identity and culture but do not have their own independent country, such as the Kurds.

What are superimposed boundaries?

Superimposed boundaries are borders drawn over existing cultural groups without considering their social and ethnic contexts, commonly seen in many African colonial borders.

What is the difference between a unitary government and a federal government?

In a unitary government, most power is held by the national central government, whereas in a federal government, power is shared between national and regional governments.

What do we mean by 'centripetal forces' in political geography?

Centripetal forces are factors that pull a country together, promoting stability, unity, and national identity.

What is the Heartland Theory?

The Heartland Theory suggests that whoever controls the central area of Eurasia (the Heartland) can control the world.

Define the term 'cultural boundary'.

A cultural boundary is a border that is based on cultural differences such as language, religion, and ethnicity.