APHuG Vocab Unit 4

United Nations (UN)

an international organization founded in 1945 that promotes peace, security, and cooperation among countries to address global issues like human rights, development, and humanitarian aid

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

a military alliance formed in 1949 between North American and European countries for collective defense

Genocide

the deliberate and systematic attempt to destroy an entire ethnic, racial, religious, or national group of people.

Cold War

a prolonged period of geopolitical tension (roughly 1947–1991) between the United States and the Soviet Union, characterized by ideological conflict (capitalism vs. communism)

Soviet Union

a large, multi-ethnic supranational entity/state that collapsed due to centrifugal forces like nationalism, showcasing shifts from federalism to fragmentation, centralized communism to market economies, and impacting global politics through the Cold War, illustrating concepts of state power, boundary changes, and political ideologies

State

a politically organized territory with a permanent population, defined boundaries, an established government that exercises sovereignty (final authority) over its internal and external affairs, and the capacity to interact with other states

Nation

a large group of people sharing a common identity, culture, language, history, and often a desire for self-governance and attachment to a homeland, existing as a cultural/ethnic unit distinct from a state

Nation-state

a political entity where the boundaries of the state align closely with the territory of a nation creating a strong link between political identity and cultural identity

Multinational state

a sovereign country that contains two or more distinct nationalities or ethnic groups, each with their own culture, traditions, and identity, coexisting within a single political system

Multistate nation

a single nation that spans across the borders of more than one independent state

Stateless nation

a large ethnic group or nation that shares a common identity but lacks its own sovereign, internationally recognized state

Autonomous state

an area within a country given significant self-governance and power to manage its own local affairs (like culture, education, laws) while still being part of the larger state, often to satisfy demaSnds from distinct ethnic or cultural groups seeking to preserve their identity

Sovereignty

the fundamental principle that a state has the ultimate authority and right to govern its territory and people without external interference, controlling its own laws, policies, and foreign affairs

Choke point

a narrow, strategic geographic location, like a strait, canal, or mountain pass, that controls the flow of people, goods, or military forces between larger regions, giving those who control it significant power over trade, economics, and international relations, making them critical for global trade and security

The Holocaust

genocide of approximately six million European Jews (and millions of others) by Nazi Germany and its collaborators (1933-1945), involving ethnic cleansing, forced displacement (ghettos, camps), mass extermination (gassing)

Ethnicity

shared cultural identity, distinct from race (physical traits), based on common language, religion, ancestry, traditions, or homeland/hearth, creating a sense of belonging and influencing settlement patterns, social dynamics, and political conflicts, often leading to ethnic enclaves or even ethnic cleansing

European Union (EU)

a political and economic union of 27 European nations fostering integration, free movement (goods, people, capital), and shared policies for peace, stability, trade, and human rights, effectively creating a larger economic bloc with significant global influence.

Ethnic cleansing

the systematic and forced removal of a less powerful ethnic group by a more powerful one to create an ethnically homogeneous region

Nationalism

a political ideology and sense of unity where people feel strong loyalty to their nation, defined by shared culture, language, history, and territory, driving a desire for self-governance

Centripetal Force

any factor that unifies a state

Centrifugal Force

any factor that divides or weakens a state

Fragmented State

a country with several separate, noncontiguous pieces of territory, often separated by water

Unitary State

a country where the central government holds most or all political power, making uniform laws for the entire nation

Failed State

a country where the central government has lost control, becoming unable to provide basic public services

Compact State

a country with a roughly circular or oval shape where the capital is near the center

Warsaw Pact

a 1955 communist military alliance led by the Soviet Union, countering NATO

Federal State

a country where power is constitutionally divided between a strong central government and regional/local governments

Balkanization

the contentious process where a large state or region breaks apart into smaller, often hostile, independent states, usually along ethnic, religious, or cultural lines, leading to instability, conflict, and ethnic cleansing

Superimposed boundary

a political border drawn by an outside power (like a colonizer) that ignores existing cultural, ethnic, or linguistic patterns

Relic boundary

a former political border that no longer functions as a legal boundary but remains visible and influential in the cultural landscape

Geometric boundary

a political border defined by straight lines (latitude/longitude) or simple geometric shapes, ignoring physical terrain or cultural features

Maritime boundary

a legally defined line separating a country's ocean space, establishing its sovereign rights over resources and passage, primarily governed by the (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea)

Physical boundary

a political border that aligns with significant, naturally occurring features on Earth's surface, like rivers, mountains, deserts, or oceans, acting as a natural separator between political entities

International waters

the open ocean beyond any nation's territorial or exclusive economic zones

Territorial sea

a coastal zone extending up to 12 nautical miles from a country's baseline, where the state exercises full sovereignty, controlling resources, airspace, and seabed, but must allow "innocent passage" for foreign ships

Exclusive economic zone

a sea area extending up to 200 nautical miles from a country's coast, has exclusive rights to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage marine resources and jurisdiction over economic activities

Landlocked state

a country completely surrounded by other countries, lacking direct access to the sea

Perforated state

a country that completely surrounds another country

Elongated state

a country that completely surrounds another country

Prorupted state

a country with a compact main body but a long, narrow extension that juts out, often to gain access to resources (like water/coastline) or to separate two other states

Self-determination

the principle that a distinct group of people has the right to choose their own political status, form their own gov, and pursue their own economic, social, and cultural development without external interference

Devolution

the transfer of political power and authority from a central government to regional or local governments, driven by cultural, economic, or geographic factors, leading to increased autonomy or even the breakup (balkanization) of a state

Apartheid

South Africa's 1948-1990s system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination, legally separating people by race into different geographic areas and controlling housing, education, and jobs, creating vast inequality

united nations convention on the law of the sea (UNCLOS)

a crucial international treaty defining maritime boundaries and resource rights

Semiautonomous region

an area within a country that has some self-governance and internal control over certain affairs (like local laws or culture) but is still subordinate to the central government's ultimate authority, lacking full sovereignty

Irredentism

a nationalist movement or policy seeking to reclaim territory inhabited by people of the same ethnicity or culture but currently under foreign control

Berlin Conference

a pivotal meeting of European powers to formalize the colonization and division of Africa

Arctic Council

an intergovernmental forum for 8 Arctic nations (like US, Canada, Russia) and Indigenous groups to discuss environmental protection, sustainable development, and cooperation

Territoriality

the concept of people or groups claiming, controlling, and asserting ownership over a specific geographic area, showing attachment and defining boundaries to influence people and resources within that space

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

a supranational organization promoting economic, political, and cultural cooperation among its Southeast Asian member states

Ethnocentrism

the belief that one's own culture or ethnic group is superior, leading to judging other cultures by the standards, values, and norms of one's own

Ghetto

a city area where a minority ethnic/racial group is concentrated, often due to economic hardship, social pressure, or legal mandates, leading to segregation, poverty, lack of resources, and systemic disadvantages

Redistricting

mandatory, post-census process of redrawing electoral district boundaries to adjust for population shifts, aiming for equal population per district, but often influenced by political power

Gerrymandering

the political practice of manipulating voting district boundaries (redistricting) to unfairly benefit one party or group

Demilitarized zone

a buffer area between hostile states or groups where military activities, personnel, and equipment are forbidden by treaty or agreement, designed to reduce conflict

Shatterbelt

a region caught between stronger, competing external powers, making it politically fragmented, culturally diverse, and prone to internal conflicts and instability

Terrorism

the unlawful use of violence or threats, often against civilians, by non-state groups to create widespread fear (terror) for political, social, or ideological goals

Ethnic neighborhood

a distinct area within a city where a specific ethnic group clusters, sharing culture, language, and heritage, often forming due to immigration for support, familiarity, and to maintain traditions

Supranational organization

a group of three or more countries that join to share goals and authority, giving up some sovereignty to make collective decisions

African Union (AU)

a major political/economic organization of African states aiming for unity, economic development, and stability