Unit 4 Study Guide

State/Country- Independent States are the primary building blocks of the world political map.

A state must have:

  • Defined Territories with borders

  • Permanent Population

  • Government

  • Sovereignty- The right of the government to control and defend its territory and determine what happens within its borders

  • Recognition from other states

Nation- A group of people with a common identity through shared cultural traits such as language, religion, ethnicity, and heritage (Ex: Maasai in East Africa, shared traditional culture and language.)

Stateless nation- Nations of people without a state to occupy. (Ex: Kurds, Basque, Palestinians.)

Nation-State- When the borders of the nation match the borders of the state- a state with (ideally) only one nation within it (No true examples. Ex: Japan 98% Japanese, 70% Shinto & Buddhist. Denmark and Iceland as well.)

Multistate Nation- A nation of people that stretches across without a state to occupy. (Ex: Russians after the fall of the soviet Union, Kurds)

Multinational State- A country with various ethnicities and cultures within its borders. (Ex: Afghanistan: Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Baloch, Turkmen, Arab, Pashai. Nigeria: More than 250 ethnic groups and 500+ Languages)

Autonomous and Semi-Autonomous Region- A location within a state that is given authority to govern independently from the national government (Ex: Hong Kong, Native American reserves.)

Devolution- Due to centrifugal forces, power is shifted from the central government or administration to reginal authorities which are usually reflective of nations

Can be caused by:

  • Physical Geography- Physical barriers separate a region from the state, distance decay. (Ex: Kashmir, Indonesia, The Kurds)

  • Clashing ethnicities- Several fighting ethnicities

  • Clashing Languages- Several Languages creating language barriers between parts of a country

  • Clashing cultures- Clashing heritage and thoughts on culture

  • Clashing religions

  • Economic differences

Leads to:

  • Ethnic Separatism- People a certain ethnicity identify more with their ethnicity than they do with the state, leads to a dispersity between a majority and minority ethnic groups.(Ex: In China, Tibetan Buddhists believe themselves culturally distinct from dominant China, Tibetan ethnicity and religious minority, history of invasion.)

  • Ethnic Cleansing- State Governments attack an ethnic group in an attempt to try to eliminate them through expulsion, imprisonment, and mass murder. Similar to Genocide →The holocaust (Ex: Uyghurs are originally part of “East Turkistan”, speak Turkish and are Muslim. Ethnic separatism and sovereignty have turned the Uyghurs have turned violence)

  • Terrorism- Organized violence at government and civilian targets intended to create fear in order to accomplish political aims. Most commonly utilized by non-government groups with no army, in order to achieve recognition or power. (Ex: Uyghurs in China, Basque 1959-2011)

  • Economic or Social issues- Uneven development, different levels of economic activity/productivity, and conflict over funding from the government. Social problems such as discrimination against a minority group fuel devolutionary forces as well. (Ex: Scotland in the UK, most UK oil and gas are from the north sea of Scotland)

  • Irredentism- A majority ethnic group wants to claim territory from a neighboring state due to a shred culture with the people residing across the border. Reunification of multistate nations. (Ex: Russians in Ukraine and other former soviet republics)

Shatter belts- Instability within a region that ais geographically located between states with overlapping territorial and political power (Ex: Germany during the Cold war, Balkanization of Yugoslavia)

Choke Points- Ex: Strait of Hormuz, Straight of Malacca, Suez Canal

  • A strategic strait or canal which is narrow, hard to pass through and has competition for use

  • This could be closed or black to stop sea traffic and strategically show political power or territoriality

  • Essential to Shipping oil, food, and consumer products around the world.

Territoriality: the control and influence over a specific geographic space

Political Power: Defined as control over people, land, and resources

Centripetal forces- Characteristics that unify a country and create stability.

  • Common Language, religion, ethnicity

  • Lead to- Ethnonationalism, Equitable infrastructure development, cultural cohesion/peace

Centrifugal Forces- Characteristics that divide a country and create instability, conflict, and violence.

  • Multiple competing ethnicities, languages, or religions

  • Lead to- Failed states, uneven development, stateless nations, and balkanization.

Balkanization- The fracturing of states along ethno-linguistic lines leading to hostile, violent states.(Ex. Yugoslavia, Soviet Union)

Antecedent- Borders that are established before there has been settlement by people in the territory (Ex: 49th Parallel between US and Canada)

Subsequent- Borders that are drawn in areas that have been settled by people, typically due to changes that have occurred over time (Ex: Boundaries in Europe have changed frequently throughout history usually in response to a new… empire, war, or political agreement.)

Consequent- Type of Subsequent Boundary- Takes into account the existing cultural distribution of the people living in the territory redevelops boundary lines to more closely unite cultures. (Ex: The boundary between Nunavut and the rest of Canada- Drawn in 1999, established a province that considered indigenous people.)

Superimposed- Border that is drawn over existing and accepted borders by an outside force. (Ex: The Berlin Conference, superimposed lots of boundaries in Africa.)

Geometric- Borders established on straight lines of latitude and longitude instead of physical or cultural boundaries (Ex: Sykes-Picot agreement, Europeans split up the Arab provinces of the ottoman Empire after WW|)

Relic- Border that no longer exists but has some imprint on the local cultural or environmental geography (Ex: East/West Germany during Cold war, Iron Curtain, The confederacy.)

Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ)- 200 Nautical miles from a country that borders a body of water in which the country can use are marine resources within it. (Oil, gas, minerals, fish)

When countries EEZs overlap they must come to an agreement on maritime boundaries in that area.

Ex: EEZs and claimed territory in the arctic

Internal Boundaries-

  • Reapportionment- Process in which the US House of Representatives seats are re-allocated to different states, based off of the population change. The US House of Rep. has 435 candidates.

  • Redistricting- State’s internal political boundaries that determine voting districts for the US House of Representatives and the state legislature. Redraw to accurately reflect the new census.

Gerrymandering- Redistricting for a political advantage, when the political party that controls a majority of seats in the state legislature draws a political district boundaries to maintain or extend their political power.

  • Packing- Clustering like-minded voters in one district so that the more powerful party wins other districts

  • Cracking- Splitting like minded voters among multiple districts to minimize their impact

Federal Government- A style in government in which power is shared between central, regional, and local governments. Regional and local governments have autonomy and authority to administer their spaces in order to account for needs of diverse groups.

  • Power is diffused between multiple levels- Substate→ Country→ City/Local. Larger states

  • Reduction of conflict around specific issues because each substate can legislate differently. Local issues are resolved more quickly. Less likely to be authoritarian.

  • Slow to enact change nationally, conflict between national and local laws can cause confusion.

Unitary Government- A style of government in which the power is located central and the purpose of the regional or local unites to enforce policy. Regional and local unites exist but they are extensions of the central government.

  • Little political power outside of the central government. Sub-States are more compact and less culturally different.

  • Efficient in creation and implantation of laws. Quick Change. Sense of Unity

  • More vulnerable to corruption and authoritarianism. Central government may not be in touch with local issues. Slow to respond locally.

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.

Examples:

  • The United Nations (UN)- peace, security, human rights

  • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)- defense

  • The European Union (EU)- European countries integrate politically and economically

  • Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)- economic

  • The Arctic Council (AC)- Research climate change, wildife, and ocean health.

  • The African Union (AU)- Peace, Stability, and security through connection cooperation and economic development

  • Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)- Economic

Positives:

  • Decrease conflict and promote cooperation between member states.

  • Environment Sustainability→ The arctic council works together to research climate change, wildlife conservation, and ocean health.

  • Economics of Scale→ Increased Trade and bargaining power in order to make more money for member nations (Reduction of tariffs, trade barriers, embargoes, and want of free trade.)

  • Collective Defense→ An attack against one ally is an attack against all member nations

Negatives:

  • Challenge state sovereignty by limiting the economic or political action of member states

EU-

Positives: Open borders, Single market (Free trade, movements of goods, services, and money), Common Currency, Environmental Policy

Negatives: Not all countries have the Euro, Countries have unequal economic impact and wealthier countries must support poorer ones

UN- Member ship costs money, not all members participate equally.