APHG - Unit 4 Vocabulary

Political Geography

Apartheid

Laws in South Africa that physically separated different races into different geographic areas.

Autocracy

A country that is run according to the interests of the ruler rather than the people.

Autonomy

The degree of self governance and independence that a political entity has from external authorities.

Balkanized

the process by which a region or state breaks down into smaller, often hostile units along ethnic, cultural, or religious lines.

Blockbusting

A process by which real estate agents convince white property owners to sell their houses at low prices because of fear that persons of color will soon move into the neighborhood.

Centripetal force

A cultural value that tends to unify people

Centrifugal force

A cultural value that tends to pull people apart

enclave

a distinct territorial, social, or cultural unit that is completely surrounded by the territory of another entitity.

exclave

a portion of a country’s territory which is separated from the main part and is surrounded by the territory of other states

ethnic enclave

A place with a high concentration of an ethnic group that is distinct from those in the surrounding area.

ethnicity

Identity with a group of people who share the cultural traditions of a particular homeland or hearth.

ethnic cleansing

A purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas.

ethnonationalism

A political ideology that emphasizes the interests and culture of a specific ethnic group, often advocating for the establishment of a nation-state based on shared ethnicity, language, and cultural identity

multi-ethnic state

A multiethnic state is a nation-state that contains multiple distinct ethnic groups, each with its own cultural identity, language, and sometimes even religion.

multinational state

A state that contains two or more cultural groups with traditions of self-determination that agree to coexist peacefully by recognizing each other as distinct nationalities.

nationalism

Loyalty and devotion to a particular nationality.

nationality

Identity with a group of people who share legal attachment to a particular country

nation-state

A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular nation.

semiautonomous

an area within a country that has some limited self-governance or control over its own affairs but is ultimately still subject to the central government's authority and laws

race

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

racism

The belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.

self-determination

The concept that ethnicities have the right to govern themselves.

neocolonialism

Neocolonialism refers to the practice of using economic, political, and cultural pressures to control or influence countries, especially those that were formerly colonized, without direct military or political intervention

capital

the primary city serving as the seat of government for a state or region, housing key political institutions and symbolizing national identity.

city-state

a sovereign state comprising a city and its immediately surrounding countryside.

cultural/physical boundaries

physical boundaries use natural features for separation. cultural boundaries are invisible lines based on human traits, separating cultural groups and influencing identity.

colonialism

An attempt by one country to establish settlements and to impose its political, economic, and cultural principles in another territory.

colony

A territory that is legally tied to a sovereign state rather than completely independent.

choke points

a narrow, strategic passage that controls vital trade/movement.

compact state

A state in which the distance from the center to any boundary does not vary significantly

democratization

the process where a state shifts from authoritarian rule to a democratic system

devolution

the transfer of power from a central government to regional or local governments in order to prevent the state from breaking apart.

elongated state

A state with a long, narrow shape

failed states

a state where the government has lost control, becoming unable to provide basic services and maintain order.

fragmented state

A state that includes several discontinuous pieces of territory