Unit 4

State

A politically organized territory with a permanent population, defined territory, government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.

Nation

A group of people who share a common culture, language, ethnicity, or history, often tied to a specific territory.

Multinational State

A state that contains more than one nation within its borders.

Multi-State Nation

A nation that spans multiple states or countries.

Stateless Nation

A nation that does not have a state of its own and is not the majority in any nation.

Choke Point

A geographical feature that is crucial for controlling movement and access; often a narrow passage.

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself and make its own laws without external interference.

Self-Determination

The right of a people to determine their own political status and to pursue their own economic, social, and cultural development.

Geopolitics

The study of the effects of geography on international politics and international relations.

Colonialism

The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

Decolonization

The process by which colonies gain their independence from colonial powers.

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Neocolonialism

The use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, typically former colonies.

Autonomous Regions

Areas that have a degree of self-governance or autonomy from the central government.

Semi-Autonomous Regions

Regions that have some self-governing powers but are not fully autonomous.

Federal State

A political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions under a central government.

Unitary State

A state governed as a single entity where the central government holds the power.

Territoriality

The connection of people, their culture, and their economic systems to a specific location.

Annexation

The action of annexing something, especially territory.

Centripetal Forces

Forces that unify a state, such as common culture, language, or economic systems.

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that divide a state, such as ethnic or religious conflicts.

Antecedent Boundary

A boundary established before the area is populated.

Subsequent Boundary

A boundary established after the area is populated, often reflecting cultural divides.

Consequent Boundary

A boundary that takes into account the cultural differences in a region.

Superimposed Boundary

A boundary imposed by an external force, often disregarding existing cultural or ethnic patterns.

Geometric Boundary

A boundary created based on geometric lines, often using latitude and longitude.

Relic Boundary

A boundary that no longer functions but has left a lasting impact on the landscape.

Open Border

A border that allows people and goods to pass freely with minimal restrictions.

Militarized Border

A border heavily defended and controlled, often with military presence.

Defined Border

A border that is legally defined by treaties or laws.

Delimited Border

A border drawn on a map to indicate the limits of a territory.

Demarcated Border

A border that is physically marked in the landscape.

Definitional Dispute

A border dispute that arises from different interpretations of the legal documents defining a boundary.

Operational Dispute

A border dispute over how a boundary should function.

Allocational Dispute

A dispute over the allocation of resources that lie across a boundary.

National Exclaves

Parts of a national territory that are separated from the main part of the country.

Enclaves

Areas that are geographically surrounded by a different state or territory.

Ethnic Separatism

The desire of an ethnic group to separate from a larger group.

Irredentism

A policy of reclaiming lost territory or areas inhabited by the same ethnic group in another country.

Devolution

The transfer of power from the central government to regional or local governments.

Balkanization

The fragmentation of a political unit into smaller, often hostile units.

Shatterbelts

Regions that experience significant external pressures leading to conflict.

Subnationalism

Loyalty to a particular region or community within a nation rather than to the nation as a whole.

Regionalism

A political ideology that emphasizes the interests and culture of a particular region.

Ethnonationalism

A form of nationalism wherein the nation is defined in terms of ethnicity.

Xenophobia

The fear or hatred of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange.

Ethnic Cleansing

The systematic extermination of members of an ethnic or religious group.

Genocide

The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular ethnic group with the intent to destroy that group.

Terrorism

The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in pursuit of political aims.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries.

Reapportionment

The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives based on population changes.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party over another.

Globalization

The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale.

Supranationalism

The process whereby nations yield some of their sovereignty to international organizations or institutions.

Transnational Corporations

Companies that operate globally, across national borders.

Autocracy

A system of government in which one person possesses unlimited power.

Democratization

The transition to a more democratic political regime.

Compact State

A state in which the distance from the center to any boundary is minimal, forming roughly a circle.

Prorupted State

A state that has a long extension or a narrow corridor projecting from its main territory.

Perforated State

A state that completely surrounds another state.

Elongated State

A state that is long and narrow in shape.

Landlocked State

A state that is entirely surrounded by land and has no coastline.

Fragmented State

A state that is made up of several discontinuous pieces of territory.

Berlin Conference

A meeting held in 1884-85 to discuss the partition of Africa among European powers.

Partition of British Palestine

The division of British-ruled Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states in 1947.

Partition of India

The division of British India into India and Pakistan in 1947.

Consequent Boundaries

Boundaries that reflect the cultural landscape and group identities.

USSR Cold War End

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 leading to many newfound independent states.

UN Law of the Sea

International treaties governing maritime rights, including Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zones.

Value of Islands & Arctic

Important for economic and military interests due to resources and strategic locations.

Impact of Gerrymandering

Shifts political power by manipulating voter districts.

Role of Supranational Organizations

Influence global issues through economic, political, and environmental strategies.

Transnational Corporations & Neocolonialism

Interactions that often exploit resources and labor in developing countries.

Pros & Cons of State Shapes

Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different state forms on governance and regional stability.

What is a Sovereignty?

The authority of a state to govern itself and make its own laws without external interference.

What does Self-Determination refer to?

The right of a people to determine their own political status and to pursue their own economic, social, and cultural development.

Define Geopolitics.

The study of the effects of geography on international politics and international relations.

What is Colonialism?

The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

What is Decolonization?

The process by which colonies gain their independence from colonial powers.

Explain Neocolonialism.

The use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, typically former colonies.

What are Autonomous Regions?

Areas that have a degree of self-governance or autonomy from the central government.

Describe the concept of Ethnic Separatism.

The desire of an ethnic group to separate from a larger group.

What is Genocide?

The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular ethnic group with the intent to destroy that group.

What does Globalization mean?

The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale.