CH 8: Political Geography

Question 1

state

Answer 1

a politically organized territory with a permanent population, defined territory, and government. Must be recognized by other states.

Question 2

Territory

Answer 2

“a system of political units with fixed, distinct boundaries and at least quasi-independent governments”
(Elden)

Question 3

Territoriality

Answer 3

“the attempt by an individual or group to affect, influence, or control people, phenomena, and relationships, by delimiting and asserting control over a geography region.”
(Sack)

Question 4

Peace of Westphalia

Answer 4

the peace agreement that marks beginning of modern state system
- early seventeenth century
- after 30 years war
- brought stability

Question 5

Sovereignty

Answer 5

a gov. legal right to control its own territory, both politically and militarily
- can defend its territorial integrity if threatened

Question 6

Colonialism

Answer 6

states took territories across world and ruled them for own benefit
- two waves (Europe)
- 16th century, Spain + Portugal colonized Americas
- agriculture
- 1880s, Britain, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, colonized Africa

Question 7

Mercantilism

Answer 7

government controls trade and colonies, protected home industries

Question 8

Nation

Answer 8

a group of people w/ sense of cultural connection based on shared culture and history
- not necessarily a state
- “imagined community”
ex) Kurds, Palestinians, indigenous groups

Question 9

Nation-State Idea

Answer 9

• idea that map of states should align with the map of nations
• nationalism
• only modern example is Japan

Question 10

Multinational State

Answer 10

state with more than one nation in its borders
ex) Yugoslavia

Question 11

Multistate Nation

Answer 11

Nation with its own state stretches into other states
ex) Romania and Hungary

Question 12

Stateless Nations

Answer 12

nations without a state
ex) Kurds

Question 13

World-Systems Theory

Answer 13

• Immanuel Wallerstein
• world is more than total of world’s states
• must understand position in global economy
  3 Tenets:
  1. World economy has one market and global division of labor
  2. Although world has multiple states, almost everything takes place within context of world economy
  3. World economy has three-tier structure

Question 14

Capitalism

Answer 14

system in which individuals, corporations, and states own land and produce goods and services that are exchanged for profit

Question 15

Commodification

Answer 15

process of placing a price on a good, service, or idea and then buying/selling/trading it

Question 16

Devolution

Answer 16

transfer of power “downwards” from the central gov. of regional govs. within a state