Chapter 8 Political Geography Topics

[[Centripetal and Centrifugal[[

A centripetal force unifies while a centrifugal force divides

elongated (Chile) - centrifugal
fragmented (US) - centrifugal
Prorupted; large projecting extension (India) - centrifugal
Compact (Poland) - centripetal
Perforated; a state in another state (Lesotha) - centrifugal
Landlocked (Chad) - centrifugal
Enclave; perforated (Vatican City) - centrifugal
Exclave; Portion of a country is separated by alien territory (Campione d’Italia) - centrifugal

Having a federal government is centripetal because otherwise, it could be hard to govern every place, especially if a place is far away. It is also centrifugal because giving regional power creates the danger of devolution and succession

Neocolonialism is centrifugal because it creates reliance between the colonizing and colonized country

The environment of an area can be centrifugal. The Sahel region is ungoverned, has ethnic conflicts, and has poverty. This makes it easy for terrorists to attack

Shatterbelts are centrifugal and put stress from fighting countries onto neighboring states

Centripetal- unifying features (flag, song, pledge of allegiance) strong identity based on culture

Centrifugal- deep religious differences, language differences, internal boundary conflicts

]]Territoriality]]

Territoriality - creating ownership over defined space (bedroom, country, personal space)

Brings emotional response

Persian Gulf War 1990s

Iraq invade Kuwait
Kuwait was historically part of Iraq

WWII Germany Invasions

conquered much of Europe in WWII
Lost land from the Treaty of Versailles
Wanted to claim it back

Territoriality creates a sense of control, and sovereignty, over a place. States may demonstrate this territoriality through features (walls, borders, flags, laws, religion)

invades

{{Devolution and Balkanization{{

Balkanization- A process when centrifugal forces break apart a state into smaller pieces along ethnic/cultural lines
- Soviet Union (political)
- former Yugoslavia (ethnic/cultural)

Devolution- transfer of power from central gov’t to regional gov’t within a state

Hong Kong -

originally British colony handed off to China

put up wall

Hong Kong wants ind.

China wants to erase the border

own rights and autonomy until 2047

Gotton less eco. powerful, so Chine tolerates less

speak Cantonese not mandarin

identify as HK

umbrella mvmt → fight back

Impacts:

Formation of new states
- Examples: Czechoslovakia forms- Czech. Rep., Slovakia,
- Former Yugoslavia creates- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, etc…
Increased pwr. to regions- Centrifugal and Centripetal
- Examples: N. Ireland and Scotland in the UK
Political instability
- Civil War- Sudan and South Sudan
- Protests- Hong Kong and China
Regional separation- Centrifugal and Centripetal
- Geography/Islands- Corsica (France), Sardinia (Italy), and N. Ireland
Migration
- Yugoslavia
Economic instability
- Russian Ruble collapses
- Catalonia in Spain- Centrifugal and Centripetal

Yugoslavia, N. Ireland, Catalonia, Canada

Yugoslavia

Multiple nations in one state

conflict from different cultures and languages

split up into republics

Croatia and Serbia shatterbelt

N Ireland

cultural/ethnic border

Catholic Irish Nationalists
Unionist Protestant British

administer borders

deploy troops → prevent extremism
vehicle screenings
watch towers
tarif

shows devolution

own borders - some ind.
dual citizenship - mixed identity
able to vote to rejoin

Catalonia

holding polls
own language, culture, literature
new constitution → autonomy in regions
pay a lot of taxes but get little in return

Canada

Quebec mostly French

speak french

Centrifugal forces are present in Quebec, whereas the free-trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico challenges the Canadian government’s independence on a national level

Both examples challenge sovereignty at the national level because the Canadian government is not able to exercise complete control in either circumstance: an independent Quebec would arise as a result of devolutionary forces as Canada would lose all control over the region. Canada must work together with Mexico and the United States as a part of a free-trade agreement that is intended to benefit all countries involved

}}UNCLOS: EEZ}}

UNCLOS - Code of maritime law

territorial seas - sovereignty in 12 nautical miles

contiguous zone - limited sovereignty in 24 nm

Exclusive Economic Zone - resource extraction in 200 nm

High Seas - beyond 200 nm

UNCLOS authorizes 12nm and 200nm of territorial waters and EEZ as maximums. Since there isn’t a clear-cut boundary, there could be disagreements over how to interpret the boundaries. Also, when bodies of water are between countries, there could be tension because it has to be split evenly among them

Strait of Hormuz
- Chokepoint
- Connects ME and world economy (oil)
- Lots of oil → high traffic → conflict
South China Sea
The Arctic

%%South China Sea, Arctic%%

South China Sea

The South China Sea has many resources (fisheries, gas, oil), is in the “backyard“ of the U.S., and provides trade to E Asia. Multiple countries have claims to this region and show conflict and territoriality

China has a historical claim because of naval expeditions (9 dash line), but the EEZ of different countries overlap

Airstrips, air defense zones, and building bases are all ways countries show their influence. China is ignoring other claims

Reusing my work from my concept paragraph lol

The political concept seen is that boundaries can cause conflict between states and that the Law of the Sea limits a state’s use of surrounding water. Found on page 299, the Law of the Sea states that within 12 nm from shore, a state has complete sovereignty over the waters. There is partial sovereignty within 24 nm, and within 200 nm there is the EEZ which is purely for economy and resources. However, China, Taiwan, and Japan all have strong territoriality over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands. According to page 273, China has a historical claim to the islands. Found on page 273, Figure 8-6 shows that because China sent out expeditions in the East China Sea, they have a claim to the islands. However, page 273, it also explains how Japan has a claim to the islands because when Japan had control in 1895, China had not yet stated sovereignty over the islands. The sense of territoriality leads to conflict. As explained on page 273, China and Japan both have air defense zones to establish their claim over the other country’s claim. The meme illustrates this concept by showing how Japan thinks they should have control over the islands and then is shocked by China stepping in

Arctic

Territory in the Arctic is valuable because it provides ocean access, shipping routes, and resources (oil + natural gas), so northern countries such as Canada, Greenland/Denmark, Russia, USA, Norway, and Iceland have all claimed territory there

Problems with border

continental shelf
new claims
fight over resources
fight to exert power/influence

Russia has strong territoriality over the Arctic

Funding Coal Mining
- actually losses money, but gives Russia a claim over the Arctic
- roots to claim resources
Continental Shelf claim
flag under N Pole
- visually ties Russia to the Arctic
Tourist spectacle
- Barensburg tourists
- visually ties Russia to the Arctic
Military coasts
- Renovate outposts
- military exercises

<<Supranational Organization<<

Supranational - alliances of multiple states/countries

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
European Union (EU)
United Nations (UN)

They take away some sovereignty because all members have to abide by the regulations of the supranational organization

→ Less control over tariffs, currency, borders, engaging in war

However, they unite for a political, economic, military, or environmental goal that is hard to achieve independently

→ Having more allies, protection, helping the environment, selling more goods

^^European Union^^

Benefits

Freedom of movement
- citizens can live/work in any EU country
- trading goods over borders
Common currency (Euro)
- Centripetal to the EU as a whole

Drawbacks

membership dues
can’t control who passes the border
Can’t choose the currency (Euro)
- lose pol./eco. sovereignty
- centrifugal to individual states - lose national identity

Schengen Area - “meh“ borders, no border officers, stroll from countries

Eurozone - creates free trade and common currency