Political Geography and International Boundaries: Key Concepts and Organizations

Political Geography -

The spatial analysis of political phenomena and processes

Administered Boundary-

enforcement of a boundary by government or people (final phase of boundary creation).

Antecedent Boundary -

A boundary line established before an area is populated

Choke Point-

A geographical land feature such as a valley or water way which can greatly decrease combat for an

armed force trying to reach its objective.

Consequent Boundary-

A boundary line that coincides with some cultural divide, such as religion or language.

Demilitarized Zone-

an area in which treaties or agreements between nations, military powers or contending groups

forbid military installations, activities, or personnel.

Failed State-

a state within which the government has lost the ability to provide the most basic of public services.

Maritime Boundaries-

a conceptual means of division of the water surface of the planet into maritime areas that are

defined through surrounding physical geography or by human geography.

Relic Boundary-

a boundary that has ceased to function but can still be detected on the cultural landscape.

Subsequent Boundaries -

Boundary line established after an area has been settled that considers the social and

cultural characteristics of an area

Superimposed Boundaries -

boundary line drawn in an area ignoring the existing cultural patterns

East/West Divide -

Geographic separation between the largely Democratic and Free-market countries of Western

Europe and the Americas from the Communist and Socialist countries of Eastern Europe and Asia; Largely defunct,

but old issues are preventing the East from catching up to the West

North/South Divide -

The economic division between the wealthy countries of Europe, North America and Japan

and the generally poorer countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America

Supranationalism and Devolution Vocabulary Terms

African Union-

An organization of African States aiming to encourage economic development and political stability

through increased cooperation between its members.

Arctic Council-

An organization consisting of 8 Arctic Sates that addresses issues faced by the Arctic governments

and the indigenous people of the Arctic.

Association of SE Asian Nations (ASEAN)-

established in 1967, is a political and economic union of 10 member states

in Southeast Asia with the purpose of accelerating the economic growth, social progress, and cultural development

in the region.

Shatterbelt-

is an area of instability between regions with opposing political and/or cultural values.

Confederation -

a form of an international organization that brings several autonomous states together for a

common purpose

International Organization -

An alliance of two or more countries seeking cooperation with each other without

giving up either's autonomy or self-determination

Irredentism-

the doctrine that a region should be controlled by the country to which they are ethnically or

historically related.

Supranational Organization -

voluntary association of three or more states to promote shared goals

Commonwealth of Independent States -

Confederacy of independent states of the former Soviet Union that have

united because of their common economic and administrative needs

European Union -

International organization comprised of European countries promoting free trade amongst its

members; recent (and controversial) members include Turkey, Former Soviet states

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) -

Agreement between the USA, Canada and Mexico, promoting the

goals of free trade amongst the member countries- The USMCA (United States- Mexico- Canada Agreement)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) -

International organization created to form a military alliance between

the western, democratic countries during the Cold War, Includes USA and Western Europe

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) -

An international economic organization whose members

all produce and export oil

United Nations -

A Global Supranational Organization established at the end of World War II to foster international

security and cooperation

Democratization-

trending toward democracy

Domino Theory -

the idea that political destabilization in one country can lead to collapse of political stability in

neighboring countries, starting a chain reaction of collapse (mostly used in reference to Communism spreading from

the USSR in the 1950s - 1980s)

Enclave -

A country that is entirely surrounded by the territory of another country (i.e. South Africa)

Exclave -

A bounded territory that is part of a particular state, but is separated from it by the territory of a different

state (i.e. Russia has an exclave on the Baltic Sea)

Exclusive Economic Zones

- an area of coastal water and seabed within a certain distance of a country's coastline, to

which the country claims exclusive rights for fishing, drilling, and other economic activities.

Geopolitics -

The study of the interplay between political relations and the territorial context in which they occur

Law of the Sea -

Laws establishing states' rights and responsibilities concerning the ownership and use of the

earth's seas, oceans and their resources

Lebenstraum -

Hitler's expansionist theory, the desire to acquire "living space" for the Germans in WWII

Military Alliances-

international agreement concerning national security in which the contracting parties agree to

mutual protection and support in case of a crisis that has not been identified in advance.

Territoriality-

an attempt to affect, influence, or control actions, interactions, or access by asserting/attempting to

enforce control over a specific geographic area.

Territorial Dispute -

Any dispute over land ownership

Territorial Organization -

Political organization that distributes political power in more easily governed units of land

Electoral College -

A certain number of electors from each state proportional to and seemingly representative

of that state's population. Each elector chooses a candidate believing they are representing their constituency's

choice. The candidate who receives a higher proportion of electoral votes within a state receives all the

electoral votes from that state.

Electoral Vote -

the decision of a particular state elector that represents the dominant views of that elector's

state

Popular vote -

the tally of each individual's vote within a given geographic area

Reapportionment -

the process of reallocation of electoral seats to defined territories

Redistricting -

The drawing of new electoral district boundary lines in response to population changes

Voting Districts-

is a geographical area which is represented by a seat or numerous seats in a legislative body

such as a parliament or congress.