4.6 Challenges to Sovereignty Notes

1. Devolution

States must concede (share) some power to autonomous regions or subnational political units to avoid conflict.

• Examples:

  • Catalonia, the Basque, in Spain;

  • Flanders, Wallonia, in Belgium;

  • Quebec, Nunavut, in Canada;

  • Arewa, Oduduwa, Biafra in Nigeria;

• Destabilization of the state through disagreement, disunity, and a desire for more autonomy

• When a state cannot resolve issues, these devolutionary forces may result in disintegration of a state.

  • Examples: Eritrea, South Sudan, East Timor, the Soviet Union

2. Advancements in Communication Technology

• Time-space compression: The relative distance between places has been shrinking due to modern advancements in transportation and communication technology

• Constant connections result in: Information & news stories are broadcast throughout the world

  • Access to information, knowledge, and services

  • Instant communication with large groups

  • Propaganda and misinformation

3. Supranational Organizations

• An alliance of three or more states that work together in pursuit of common goals

• Economic, Social/Cultural, Political, Military, or Environmental

• Typically regional in scale, but there are some globalized → United Nations

Sovereignty Disputes

• When two or more states claim an area and results in diplomatic tension

• Often requires mediation or intervention by the United Nations or other supranational groups

Challenges to Sovereignty at Different Scales

Each of the following articles addresses challenges to state sovereignty. Read the article and analyze the geographic factors that contribute to the state's ability to establish sovereignty.