Key Terms for Political Geography
4.2 Key Terms for Political Geography
1. Political Geography
Definition: The study of how political boundaries and systems interact with physical landscapes and human populations.
Scope: Involves examining the spatial organization of politics, the implications of geographical boundaries on governance, and the interaction between people and their environments.
2. Nation-state
Definition: A country where the majority of people share the same culture and identity.
Characteristics: Typically features a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.
Example: Countries like Japan or Iceland are often cited as examples of nation-states due to their cultural homogeneity.
3. Colonialism
Definition: When one country takes control of another area and its people.
Historical Context: Often involves the exploitation of resources and imposition of the colonizer's culture.
Consequences: Can lead to significant changes in the social, political, and economic landscapes of the colonized region.
4. Imperialism
Definition: The practice of extending a country's power and influence through colonization or other means.
Types: Can be military, economic, or cultural in nature, and may not always involve direct control over an area.
Implications: Often results in unequal power dynamics and can lead to resistance movements within colonized areas.
5. Decolonization
Definition: The process of a colony becoming independent from its colonizing country.
Timeline: Often occurred in the 20th century following World War II, marked by a series of independence movements.
Examples: India gaining independence from British rule in 1947 is a prominent case of decolonization.
6. Berlin Conference
Definition: A meeting held in 1884 where European countries divided up Africa without considering local cultures.
Outcomes: Established arbitrary borders that disregarded ethnic and cultural divisions, leading to long-term conflicts.
7. Treaty of Versailles
Definition: An agreement that ended World War I and changed many country borders in Europe and Southwest Asia.
Significance: Redrew the map of Europe and the Middle East, creating new nations and altering existing ones, often leading to unresolved tensions.
8. Partition
Definition: The division of a larger area into smaller, separate regions.
Historical Example: The partition of India in 1947, which divided British India into two separate states, India and Pakistan, based on religious lines.
9. Cold War
Definition: A period of tension between the United States and Soviet Union following World War II.
Features: Marked by political conflict, military tension, and ideological competition without direct large-scale fighting.
Impact: Influenced global alliances and led to proxy wars in various regions around the world.
10. Devolution
Definition: The transfer of power from a central government to local or regional authorities.
Example: The United Kingdom's devolution process allowed Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to establish their own parliaments with varying degrees of legislative power.
11. Independence Movement
Definition: When a group of people work to separate from another country and form their own nation.
Characteristics: Often involves political activism, protests, and sometimes armed conflict.
Example: The American Revolution (1775-1783) can be pointed out as a significant historical independence movement.
12. Boundary
Definition: A line that separates one political area from another.
Types: Can be physical (e.g., rivers, mountains) or cultural (e.g., linguistic, religious differences).
Importance: Boundaries can influence trade, security, and resource management between nations.