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Nation, State, Nation-State, Stateless Nation

I. NationA large group of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular territory. E.g., Afghanistan is one of the poorest nations; the U.S. is among the richest.

II. StateA self-governing political entity (interchangeable with country) with:

• Defined territory with internationally recognized boundaries

• A resident population

• An organized economy

• Social systems like education

• A transportation system

• A government ensuring public services and police power

• Sovereignty and external recognitionCurrently, there are 196 independent states globally. Taiwan meets the criteria for statehood but is not widely recognized.

III. Nation-StateA formal political union of one or multiple nationalities. Nation-states have official languages, legal systems, currency, and bureaucracy. Examples include France, Japan, and the U.S., which is often considered a nation-state despite its multiculturalism.

IV. Stateless NationMinority ethnic groups considered nations entitled to their own state but lacking recognition. Examples are the Kurds and the Romani people.

Geopolitical Theories

Heartland TheoryProposed by Halford Mackinder (1919): power lies in the Eastern Eurasian landmass. Control the Heartland, control the world.

Rimland TheoryIntroduced by Nicholas Spykman (1944): world control is gained by dominating the Rimland surrounding Eurasia.

World Systems TheoryImmanuel Wallerstein's model divides countries into core (developed), periphery (less developed), and semi-periphery (buffer).

Human Territoriality - Gerrymandering

Human TerritorialityInfluencing events by controlling geographical areas. Types:

• Primary: Exclusively used by individuals/groups

• Secondary: Regularly used but shared

• Tertiary: Open spaces for all.Gerrymandering: Dividing areas into voting districts to give unfair advantage, named after Gov. Elbridge Gerry's 1812 redistricting.

State Shapes

Five types of state shapes:

• Compact: Small, centralized (e.g., Switzerland)

• Fragmented: Separate parts (e.g., Indonesia)

• Elongated: Longer than wide (e.g., Chile)

• Prorupt: Has an extended arm (e.g., India)

• Perforated: Surrounds another state (e.g., Italy).Capitals often exhibit strategic placement, and forward capitals are relocated for political reasons (e.g., Brasilia).

Political Forces

Centripetal Forces unite people; Centrifugal Forces disunite them. Devolution is the transfer of power to regional governments, often sparked by conflicts or independence movements.

Buffer and Satellite States

Buffer States: Neutral entities between conflicting countries (e.g., Mongolia).Satellite States: Independent but heavily influenced by a core country (e.g., Poland during the Soviet era).

Boundaries and Disputes

Types of boundaries:

• Physical: Natural barriers (e.g., Great Lakes)

• Geometric: Straight lines (e.g., Egypt)

• Cultural: Based on ethnicity or religion (e.g., India-Pakistan).Disputes include Allocational (resource conflict), Definitional (legal language), Operational (boundary administration), and Locational (exact boundary issues).

Current Territorial Disputes

Examples include Jammu and Kashmir (India-Pakistan), Abyei (South Sudan-Sudan), and Cyprus (Turkey-Greece).

Supranationalism

Three or more states may unite for common goals (e.g., economic advancement). Pros: resource sharing; cons: potential conflict and compromised sovereignty.