aphg unit 4 vocab

state

a political unit with a defined boundary, permanent population, sovereignty, and recognition by other states

nation

a group of people with shared cultural traits, history, and attachment to a homeland (the kurds)

nation-state

a state with a population that is mostly ethnically and culturally the same

multinational state

a state that contains multiple ethnic groups with traditions of self-determination (canada)

multi-state nation

a nation that is spread across multiple states (koreans in north korea and south korea)

stateless nation

a nation that has history of self-determination but does not have a recognized state

autonomous region

a region within a state that has a high degree of autonomy/self-governance, controls its own affairs with limited interference from the central government

semi-autonomous region

some control over its affairs but is also subject to oversight or intervention from a higher authority, like a national government

sovereignty

the authority of a state to govern itself without outside interference

self-determination

the right or desire for a nation, or group of people, to govern themselves

colonialism

the control and settlement of a foreign territory by a state (european colonialism in africa)

imperialism

extending power over another territory through military, political, or economic control

devolution

the transfer of power from a central government to a regional governments within a state

balkanization

when a state breaks up into different states (often due to conflict within the state)

neocolonialism

the use of political, cultural, or economic power to influence or control other countries

shatterbelt

a geographic area that is caught between larger external powers who are currently fighting (eastern europe during the cold war)

gerrymandering

manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor a political party

unitary state

a state where most power is held by the central government (china)

federal state

a state where power is shared between central and regional governments (the united states)

supranational organization

an alliance that consists of multiple countries that work together (the united nations, NATO, ASEAN)

united nations (UN)

an international organization that promotes peace, security, and cooperation

north atlantic treaty organization (NATO)

a military alliance formed for collective defense

european union (EU)

a political and economic union of european states

association of southeast asian nations (ASEAN)

a regional and economic and political alliance in southeast asia

centripetal force

a force that unifies people within a state (strong national identity)

centrifugal force

a force that divides people within a state (ethnic conflict)

territoriality

the connection of people to a specific land area, often leading to disputes

boundary

a defined line that separates political entities

geometric boundary

a straight line boundary unrelated to physical or cultural features (u.s. - canada border)

physical boundary

a boundary based on natural features

cultural boundary

a boundary based on differences in language, religion, or ethnicity (india and pakistan)

irredentism

a movement to reclaim land based on historical or ethnic ties