HGAP Political Unit

African Union (AU)

organization of African states that aims to encourage economic development and political stability through increased cooperation between its members.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

organization of countries in southeast Asia set up to promote cultural, economic and political development in the region.

Anocracy

A country that is not fully democratic or fully autocratic, but rather displays a mix of the two types.

Autocracy

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

autonomous/semiautonomous

self governing or independent/ somewhat independent

Arctic Council

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

balance of power

A condition of roughly equal strength between opposing countries or alliances of countries

balkanization

The fragmentation of a region into smaller, often hostile, political units in the Balkan Peninsula of Europe. ex. Ukraine

boundary

An invisible line that marks the extent of a state's territory

Berlin Conference

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

city-state

A sovereign state comprising a city and its immediate surrounding countryside. First located in Mesopotamia

colonialism

An attempt by one country to establish settlements and to impose its political, economic, and cultural principles in another territory. ex. New ENgland economy est. by British settlers.

Neocolonialism

the control of less-developed countries by developed countries through indirect means. ex. France accounts for a quarter of Algerian trade

colony

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

compact state

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

Contiguous Zone

24 Nautical miles from baseline. States enforce laws concerning pollution, taxation, customs, and immigration.

core/periphery

world´s less developed countries. ex. Africa (except South Africa), and parts of South America and Asia

chokepoints

a narrow passage of water that is important for global trade

democracy

A country in which citizens elect leaders and can run for office.

devolution

the transfer of power from one central government to many local or regional governments, like the Fall of the Soviet Union.

demilitarized zone (DMZ)

unnatural buffer zone forced into existence to try and prevent the outbreak of further hostilities. It lies between the territory of North and South Korea.

Exclusive Economic Zone(EEZ)

200 nautical miles from baseline. state has right to exploit natural resources (fishing).

European Union (EU)

felt challenges to sovereignty w/ immigration issues such as the refugee crisis. {example of devolution in the EU: Brexit b/c of greater sovereignty desire.}

enclave

A territory, or a part of a territory, that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state. ex. Republic of San Morino, enclaved within Italy.

exclave

part of a state that is geographically separated from the main part by the territory of one or more states. ex. Alaska b/c itś not part of the contiguous continental USA.

ethnic cleansing

Process in which more powerful ethnic group forcibly removes a less powerful one in order to create an ethnically homogeneous region. ex. the holocaust

ethnonationalism

a form of nationalism in which the "nation" is defined in terms of ethnicity. ex. differentiation btwn Gujarat and Punjab tribes of India.

federal state

power in local gov. (USA, Russia, Canada, Brazil, India)

frontier

A zone separating two states in which neither state exercises political control. ex. Arabian Peninsula

gerrymandering

act of drawing boundaries of political districts to extend one party´s advantage.

genocide

deliberate extermination of a racial or cultural group. ex. the holocaust

Heartland Theory (Mackinder developed)

-land control= world domination-Eurasia was a ¨pivot area¨-attracted support when Soviet Union emerged after ww2

irrendentism

political and popular movement that claims, reclaims, and seeks to occupy territory that the members consider ¨lost¨ territory. ex. Russian annexation of Crimea, done to ¨protect¨ ethnic Russians.

multinational state

A 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. ex. Indonesia, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Belgium

multi-state nation

the majority ethnicity in at least one state. . ex. Most Hungarians live in Hungary, but many live in Transylvania region of Romania.

nation-state

homogenous (same) nation of ppl who fulfill qualifications of a state.--\> (strong national ID along w/ strict immigration policies) ex. Iceland and Japan

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

counter the threat of the Soviet Union and its allies, which in turn were organized under the umbrella of the Warsaw Pact. NATO is composed of the United States, Canada, and most European countries

Organic Theory

expansion = survival

perforated state

a state that completely surrounds another one. ex. South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho

prorupted state

a compact state with a large projecting extension. ex. Thailand

Rimland theory (Spykman developed)

ocean control leads to world controlincludes: China, Korea, Japan, SE Asia, India, Arabian Peninsula and Europe

self-determination

ethnicity has right to govern themselves

sovereignty

supreme power or authority

state

large political unit w/ defined boundary, a permanent population, maintains sovereginty over domestic & intĺ affairs.MUST BE RECOGNIZED AS A STATE BY OTHER STATES

stateless nation

cultural groups that have no independent political entity and seeking to become independent states. ex. Basque in Northern Spain, Kurds in Iraq, Iran, Turkey, & Spain

Supranationalism

the process of nation states organizing politically and economically into one organization or alliance. ex. The EU

shatterbelts

region that suffers instability b/c its located btwn 2 diff regions. ex. Ukraine

territorial waters

12 nautical miles from baseline. states set laws regulating passage

unitary state

power in central gov . ex. France, Kenya, Rwanda

landlocked state

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

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

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) A zone that extends 200 miles off a country's coast in which they alone have mineral and fishing rights. -BUT other country's ships/planes may travel through this zone without permission.