4.3 Political Power and Territoriality

Territory’s importance

Self-identification/sense of place

Patriots, nationalism (sense of pride, feelings of belonging to a group)

Importance of available resources within territorial limits

Territoriality

group/identity/belonging mixed with the desire to control land for the group

Attachment to space, feelings of belonging, identification

Controlling land/space for social, economic and political goals

Territory is seen as…

Finite, part of country’s identification, necessity

Neocolonialism

The modern practice of using political/economic/social pressure and power to influence or control other countries—usually multinational companies that have corporations

Modern dependency theory

Poor countries—often former colonies—are still “held captive” by low wages, extraction of resources for use in MDC’s

Shatterbelts

Strategically important (resources, etc.) and are contested (fought) over by stronger nearby countries (think tug-of-war)

Middle East Shatterbelt

Oil production

Easter Europe Shatterbelt

Cold War

Balkans Shatterbelt

Yugoslavia—dissolution/wars during the 1990’s

Caucasus Mountains (Central Asia) Shatterbelt

All of the “stan’s” (Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, etc.) after the breakup of the Soviet Union

Vietnam/Korea shatterbelt

Respective wars with US involvement

Shatterbelt characteristics

Multi-ethnic regions

Choke points

Geographical features on land (bridges/valleys, etc.) or sea that are narrow and impede travel/access (specifically for military forces)

ex. english channel, strait of gilbraltar

Enclave

Part of a state completely surrounded by another (former West berlin)

Exclave

Piece of territory surrounded by another states

Landlocked states

No access to seas/ports; higher transport/shipping costs