APHUG Unit 4

vocabulary

state

A political unit with:

* defined boundaries,
* spatial extent
* recognition from other states
* sovereignty
* permanent population

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Example: any of the 195 states recognized by the UN

nation

A group of people who identify themselves with their shared culture, language, and heritage; often seeking their own sovereignty

nation state

a state in which there is only one nation within the border (so the borders of where the nation lives in are the same as where the political borders reside)

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example: Japan, Iceland

stateless nation

A nation that lives in between the borders of other states and does not have political power nor a state of its own

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example: The Kurds, Palestinians

multistate nation

When the borders of the nation spread farther across from the borders of its state

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example: Russia, Germany,

*For example, although Russia is already a country of its own, there are many Russians living in other neighboring countries, such as Russians living in Ukraine*

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Multi-nation state

A state that has different nations inside of it’s borders

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Example: The U.S that has different ethnic groups living inside of it

Autonomous region

A place in which the people govern themselves with barely any interference of the government, although not considered an independent state

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Example: Hong Kong, Tibet

Semi-autonomous region

A place in which the people govern themselves to an extent, with interference of the government

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Example: Native American Reservations in the United States

Sovereignty

The right of a government to rule over itself without the interference of other governments.

Nationalism

A nation’s desire to create and maintain a state of their own

Centripetal force

A force unifying people together within a country

Examples of centripetal forces

* shared religion
* common language
* unity formed over fear against external threats

Centrifugal force

Force that can divide people apart and can form devolution

Examples of centrifugal forces

* different religions amongst population
* different languages living in a country
* discrimination against a certain race
* etc

Early Colonialism

First wave of European colonialism led by Spain and Portugal, later on by France and Britain, establishing large empires in the Americas.

Reasons for early colonialism

* Gold - wanted wealth by exploiting the land and people of its resources
* God - wanted to spread their own form of Christianity
* Glory - wanted to expand their influence throughout the world

*Terra Nullius*

Latin phrase meaning land belonging to no one

* was used to justify the acts of the first wave of colonialism

Later colonialism

* Colonizers being the Netherlands, France, UK, Italy, Belgium, and Germany


* Beginning during the 19th century

Nigeria

* 500 individual languages
* Has animistic religions
* Has Islamic side (Hausa people from the North)
* Has Christian side (Igbo and Yoruba people from the south

Delimited boundary

Drawn by cartographer on a map

Demarcated boundary

Border marked physically on the ground (through wall, fence, etc)

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Example: Mexico and USA border

Defined border

Borders drawn by a treaty that establishes where the borders are.

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* Example: a treaty that separates countries

How boundaries are established

Political boundaries coincide with cultural, national or economic divisions.

Natural borders:

Marked by natural landscape, mountain, ocean, desert, etc

Geometric boundaries

Boundaries drawn using straight lines (latitude and longitude), without regard to the environment or culture

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* Can be subsequent (like borders in Africa)
* Can be antecedent (like border between Canada & USA)

Antecedent Boundaries

Created before the existence of cultural landscape/human settlement

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* Examples: USA and Canada Border

Consequent Boundaries

Boundaries drawn by taking into account the already existing cultural landscape and/or physical landscape

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* Example: Border between India and Pakistan created for religious reasons

Subsequent Boundaries

Boundaries drawn after settlement of local cultural groups

Relic

A boundary that no longer serves a purpose, but the mark of the boundary is still evident on the landscape

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Example: Berlin wall

Superimposed boundary

Boundary created by external powers without regards to already existing cultural groups

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* A type of subsequent boundary
* Example: Borders drawn in Africa

Militarized

Heavily guarded, trying to prevent crossing

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* USA and Mexico

Open borders

Crossing is unrestricted

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* EU boundary agreements

Administering borders

Managing who or what goes in or out borders

UNCLOS

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

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* Created to alleviate disputes regarding water boundaries

EEZs

Water boundaries established by UNCLOS, 200 to 350 nautical miles from shore.

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* EEZs allow for full allowance search and use of resources found within water

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1 nautical mile = 1.852 km

Allocational boundary dispute

Conflict over resources divided by border

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* Example: Iraq and Kuwait over Rumaila Oil field

Functional (operational) Boundary Disputes

Conflict over policies applied along boundaries

* Example: Mexico Border

Definitional boundary dispute

When two or more parties disagree over the interpretation of the legal document defining the border seperating two places.

* Example: Chile and Argentina

Locational boundary dispute

Conflict over location or place of a boundary.

Example: Sudan and Egypt

Enclave

Country surrounded by territory of another

* Example: Lesotho

Exclave

Part of the country is separated from the rest

* Example: Alaska

Capitals that moved somewhere after 1950

Brazil, Nigeria, Pakistan

Unitary government

Government with one strong central body

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* UK, France, China, Japan

Characteristics of unitary governments

______ governments have usually

* One single ethnic group/smaller countries
* Laws are applied uniformly and efficiently
* Potential for corruption at local level
* Minorities marginalized
* Laws and policies dominated by the interests of dominant group

Federal Government

Government central power is divided into different branches, central government and state and local governments; decentralized central government

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Examples: United States, India

Characteristics of federal governments

___ governments usually have:

* Diverse population


* Benefits minorities voices as local voices are heard more thru local governments
* Laws are harder to make, less efficient to create
* Laws and policies will differ from place to place

Compact

Distance from center to border is roughly equal

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Example: Romania

Perforated

Country surrounds another state

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* Italy to vatican city

Irrendetism

When the majority ethnicity on one side of a boundary wants to claim a neighboring state in order to bring in a minority group of the same ethnicity together

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TL;DR : Claiming back lost or previously owned territory

* Example: Russia annexing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014

Patriotism

A pride for the government of one’s own country

Ethnonationalism

Identifying and supporting one’s ethnicity

Colonialism

Ruling power in other countries for personal gain

Devolution

Transferring of power to lower level national cities

Democracy

Government of the people, vote directly or through representatives for elections

Autocracy

Single person with unlimited power

Aristocracy

The rich rule, passed through generations

Plutocracy

The rich rule, not necessarily hereditary

Theocracy

Religious authority rules

Monarchy

King/queen rules for life and passes down rule by birth

Oligarchy

Government owned by few people

Anarchy

No government, people are free to do anything

Republic

Government with head of state, that is usually elected

Dictatorship

One person or group control entire government

Capitalism

Money is controlled privately for profit

Communism

State controls economy and goods are shared equally

Socialism

Everything $ must be owned by the people as whole

Facism

Authoritorian rule coupled with extreme oppression

Cultural Cohesion

Multiple ethnic groups living in mutual agreement

Trade Agreement

Agreement on tariffs and treaties on goods

Gerrymandering

The changing of voting districts to favor a party

Cracking

Disperses opposition vote among districts so that they lose their voise

Packing

Packs the opposition vote into one district so they only gain one vote, while the favored party gains the rest of the majority vote

Berlin Conference

1884-85, european nations claim Africa and created superimposed borders.

Shatterbelts

An area of instability between regions with opposing political and/or cultural views