APHuG Unit 4: Political Patterns and Processes

state

An area organized into a political unit and ruled by an established government with control over its internal and foreign affairs.

sovereignty

Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states.

nation

a group of people with a common culture living in a territory and having a strong sense of unity

nation-state

A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity that has been transformed into a nationality

stateless nation

A nationality that is not represented by a state.

multinational state

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

autonomous region

an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or has freedom from an external authority

semiautonomous region

an area inside of a country that has some power to control itself more than other areas in the country

multistate nation

nation that stretches across borders and across states

nationalism

A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country

centripetal forces

Forces that tend to unite or bind a country together.

centrifugal forces

Forces that tend to divide a country.

imperialism

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

colonialism

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

Berlin Conference

A meeting from 1884-1885 at which representatives of European nations agreed on rules colonization of Africa

self-determination

the right of people to choose their own form of government

decolonization

The collapse of colonial empires. Between 1947 and 1962, practically all former colonies in Asia and Africa gained independence.

genocide

Deliberate extermination of a racial or cultural group

Cold War

A conflict that was between the US and the Soviet Union. The nations never directly confronted each other on the battlefield but deadly threats went on for years.

satellite states

Eastern European states under the control of the Soviet Union during the Cold War

devolution

The process whereby regions within a state demand and gain political strength and growing autonomy at the expense of the central government.

geopolitics

study of government and its policies as affected by physical geography

territoriality

In political geography, a country's or more local community's sense of property and attachment toward its territory, as expressed by its determination to keep it inviolable and strongly defended.

neocolonialism

Also called economic imperialism, this is the domination of newly independent countries by foreign business interests that causes colonial-style economies to continue, which often caused monoculture (a country only producing one main export like sugar, oil, etc).

choke point

a strategic, narrow waterway between two larger bodies of water

physical geographic boundary

natural barriers between areas such as oceans, deserts, and mountains

cultural boundary

a geographical boundary between two different cultures

antecedent boundary

a boundary line established before the area in question is well populated

subsequent boundary

a boundary line that is established after the area in question has been settled and that considers the cultural characteristics of the bounded area

ethnographic

relating to the scientific description of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences.

superimposed boundary

a boundary line placed over and ignoring an existing cultural pattern

landlocked states

A state that does not have a direct outlet to the sea.

relic boundary

a former boundary line that is still discernible and marked by some cultural landscape features

geometric boundary

Political boundaries that are defined and delimited by straight lines.

cultural consequent boundary

a border that is drawn taking into account language, ethnicity, religion, or other cultural traits

physical consequent boundary

a division that uses already-existing natural features that divide a territory such as rivers, deserts, or mountains

open boundary

a boundary where crossing is unimpeded

militarized boundary

A boundary that is heavily guarded and discourages crossing and movement.

defined boundary

boundary is created in agreement between two parties in a treaty or other legal document

delimited boundary

a line drawn on a map to show the limits of a space

demarcated boundary

A boundary demarcated (marked) by some visible means on the ground. Ex. wall posts, fences, etc.

definitional boundary dispute

occurs when two or more parties disagree over how to interpret the legal documents or maps that identify the boundary

locational boundary dispute (territorial dispute)

conflict over the location of the boundary & ownership of the land

irredentism

a policy of cultural extension and potential political expansion by a country aimed at a group of its nationals living in a neighboring country

operational boundary dispute (functional dispute)

Conflict over the way a boundary should operate or function, such as the conflict over allowing migration across the border

allocational boundary dispute (resource dispute)

when a boundary separates natural resources that may be used by both countries

administered boundary

a border that is actively managed, protected, and administered by a sovereign government

demilitarized zone

A region where no military forces or weapons are permitted.

controlled border

Significant restrictions on noncitizens entering the country

exclave

a part of a country that is seperated from the rest of the country and surrounded by foreign territory.

political enclave

A state, or part of a state, that is completely surrounded by another state

shatterbelt

a region caught between stronger colliding external cultural-political forces, under persistent stress, and often fragmented by aggressive rivals (e.g., Israel or Kashmir today; Eastern Europe during the Cold War,...).

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

Standards for territorial ocean waters established by the United Nations. A country's EEZ extends 200 nautical miles into adjacent seas.

territorial sea

zone of water adjacent to a state's coast (12 miles) in which a state has sovereignty

international waters

the areas of the sea that are not under the jurisdiction of any country

contiguous zone

Between 12 and 24 nautical miles from shore, a state may enforce laws concerning pollution, taxation, customs, and immigration

exclusive economic zone (EEZ)

the seazone extending 200 nautical miles from the coast over which a state has special rights as to the exploration and use of marine resources

high seas

Areas of seas considered beyond territorial waters.

small island developing state (SIDS)

Control nearly 30% of all oceans and seas and their EEZs are much larger than their landmass

internal boundary

A boundary within a state indicating the presence of a sub-division or province.

electoral geography

the study of how the spatial configuration of electoral districts and voting patterns reflect and influence social and political affairs

voting districts

House members represent a particular district of voters, southern states had to be forced to choose a district. (ex of spatial organization)

electorate

All of the people entitled to vote in a given election

census

the official count of a population

reapportionment

the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

redistricting

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.

gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

cracking

spreading voters of one type over many districts where they will comprise minorities that are unable to influence elections

packing

concentrating partisan voters in a single district in order to maximize the number of representatives that can be elected by the opposition in other districts

stacking

diluting a minority populated district with majority populations

hijacking

redrawing two districts in order to force two elected representatives of the same party to run against each other

kidnapping

The seizing, confining, abducting, or carrying away of a person by force, including transporting a competent adult for medical treatment without his or her consent.

federal state

An internal organization of a state that allocates most powers to units of local government.

unitary state

An internal organization of a state that places most power in the hands of central government officials

annexation

The adding of a region to the territory of an existing political unit.

ethnic separatism

desired regional autonomy expressed by a culturally distinctive group within a larger, politically dominant culture

ethnic cleansing

the mass expulsion or killing of members of an unwanted ethnic or religious group in a society.

terrorism

the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

subnationalism

describes people who have a primary allegiance to a traditional group or ethnicity

balkanization

Process by which a state breaks down through conflicts among its ethnicities

globalization

Actions or processes that involve the entire world and result in making something worldwide in scope.

supranationalism

a venture involving 3 or more national states political economic or cultural cooperation to promote shared objectives

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

a group of 28 countries that has agreed to protect each other in case of attack; founded in 1949

European Union (EU)

(syn Common Market) an economic association established in 1957 by a number of Western European countries to promote free trade among its members

United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)

trade treaty among the United States, Canada, and Mexico to lower and eliminate tariffs among the three countries

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

a trade alliance that promotes trade and economic integration among member nations in Southeast Asia

Arctic Council

provide a means for promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States

African Union

organization formed in 2002 to promote unity among African states and to foster development and end poverty

World Trade Organization (WTO)

a permanent global institution to promote international trade and to settle international trade disputes

transnational corporations

business corporations located in two or more countries

democratization

A process of transition as a country attempts to move from an authoritarian form of government to a democratic one.

time-space compression

through processes such as globalization time is accelerated and the significance of space is reduced

regionalism

loyalty to the interests of a particular region

ethnonationalism

the tendency for an ethnic group to see itself as a distinct nation with a right to autonomy or independence. A fundamental centrifugal force.