Chapter 8 Vocab Flashcards
- *Nation:** tightly knit group of people sharing a common language, ethnicity, religion, and other cultural attributes.
- *State:** politically organized territory administered by a sovereign government, with a permanent population, and recognized by the international community (“State” = internal division; “state” = country).
**My definition: **
Nation-tightly knit group of people sharing common cultural attributes
State-politically organized and recognized territory
**My example: **Japan (nation), Denmark (state)
Nation-state: a state whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity (e.g., Japan, Portugal, Venezuela, Armenia, Iceland, …).
Stateless nation: a nation without a state (e.g., Kurds, Palestinians, …).
My definition:
Nation-state substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity
A nation without a state
My example: The Palestinians are a stateless nation because they are a tightly knit group of people sharing common cultural attributes. They do not have the rights to settle down in where they like their nation to be.
Multinational state: country with two or more nationalities within its borders (e.g., US, Canada, Russia, Iran,…).
Multistate nation: nation that transcends the borders of two or more states (e.g., Kurds (Kurdistan), The Koreas,…).
Annexation: Incorporation of a territory into another geo-political entity.
My definition:
two or more nationalities within its borders
transcends the borders of two or more states
incorporation of a territory
My example: Netherlands (multinational), Koreas (multistate), Puerto Rico to US (annexation)
- *European Model:** a state model based on inviolable territory (after the Peace of Westphalia), governmental sovereignty (possessing supreme or independent political power), permanent population with a national culture, and a state capital. This model was spread globally due to the Age of Exploration (and Colonization).
- *Theocracy:** a state whose government is either believed to be divinely guided or a state under the control of a group of religious leaders (e.g., Iran, Saudi Arabia, Vatican City (Holy See)).
My definition:
state model based on secure territory, governmental sovereignty, population with national culture, and a state capital
divinely guided state
My example:
The USA has secure territories, a strong government, sense of unity, and Washington D.C.
Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia are all theocracies
Colonialism: (modern) The attempt by a country to establish settlements and impose political and economic control and principles. Often associated with the European movement beginning in the 16th c., which created unequal cultural and economic relations; also led to massive depopulation due to the spread of disease and through conquest.
Imperialism: (modern) Second phase of European colonialism beginning in the late 18th c. due to the Second Agricultural Revolution and the Industrial Revolution. European states sought colonies for resources necessary for industrialization, outlets for overpopulation, and markets for their goods. The United States and Japan (and Russia to a lesser extent) were also engaged in imperialism (e.g., Berlin Conference (1885) carved Africa into a plethora of superimposed boundaries).
My definition:
attempt by a country to establish settlements and impose political and economic control and principles
sought colonies for resources necessary for industrialization, outlets for overpopulation, and markets for their goods
My example:
Colonizing America, Europeans takeover Africa
Decolonization: Decolonization is the movement of American/European/Asian colonies gaining independence (mostly beginning after the post-WWII era). Some were peaceful struggles while others became violent.
North/south divide: (Brandt Line (1960s)) economic division between the wealthy countries of Europe, North America, Japan, and Australia, and the generally poorer countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
**My definition: **
movement of colonies gaining independence
division between wealthy country group and poor country group
My example: India gained independence in 1948, USA and Canada are in wealthy group
East/west divide: geographic separation between the largely democratic and free-market states of Western Europe and the Americas from the communist and socialist countries of Eastern Europe and Asia.
First world: the largely democratic and free-market states of the United States and Western Europe (Cold War to today)
Second world: the communist and state-planned countries of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and China (Cold War)
Third world: the generally poorer countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America (Cold War to today)
My definition:
geographic separation between free-market states and largely communist/social states
largely democratic and free-market
communist planned countries
poorer countries
**My example: **
Division between USA, France and Russia and China
USA and Canada are first world
North Korea is second world
most countries of Africa
Multicore state: a state that has more than one dominant region in terms of economics or politics (e.g., US (NYC, Wash. D.C.), South Africa (Pretoria = executive capital, Cape Town = legislative cap., Bloemfontein = judicial cap.)
Immigrant state: a type of receiving state which is the target of many immigrants. Immigrant states are popular because of their economy, political freedom, and opportunity (e.g., US (from Mexico & others, Germany (from Turkey and others),…).
**My definition: **
state that has more than one dominant region of economics or politics
state receiving many immigrants
My example: Dutch parliament and government is in the Hague even though the capital of the country is Amsterdam (multicore)
USA and Canada (immigrant states)
- *Microstate (ministate):** state or territory that is small in both population and area (e.g., Vatican City, Monaco,…)
- *Exclave:** bounded territory that is part of a state but is separated by the territory of another state (e.g., Alaska, Kalingrad (part of Russia),…)
Enclave: a small and relatively homogeneous group or region surrounded by a larger and different group or region (e.g., Nagorno-Karabagh (part of Armenia surrounded by Azerbaijan), West Berlin during the Cold War,…); or wholly lying within the boundaries of another country (Lesotho). Not the same thing as an ethnic enclave (e.g., Chinatowns, Little Italys, Little Havana (in Miami),…).
**My definition: **
very small state or territory
part of a state that is geographically separated from that state
small homogeneous group or region completely encompassed by another group or region
My example:
Swaziland, Cyprus (microstate)
Kalingrad (exclave)
Lesotho (enclave)
- *Shatterbelt:** a region caught between stronger colliding external cultural-political forces, under persistent stress, and often fragmented by aggressive rivals (e.g., Israel or Kashmir today; Eastern Europe during the Cold War,…).
- *Capital city:** principle city in a state or country. The best place to locate a capital is at the center of a country, so it is a somewhat equal distance from all parts of the country.
Forward capital: a symbolically relocated capital city usually because of either economic or strategic reasons; sometimes used to integrate outlying parts of a country into the state (e.g., Brasília, Washington D.C.).
My definition:
region caught between stronger colliding external cultural-political forces
principle city in a state or country
symbolically relocated capital city
My example: Balkans and Israel (shatterbelt), Amsterdam (capital city), Brazil moved its capital away from the coast so as to entice people to move into the country and not overcrowd the coast (forward capital)
Unitary state: a state governed constitutionally as a unit, without internal divisions or a federalist delegation of powers
Federal state: a state in which a group or body of members are bound together with a governing representative head. Federalism is the system in which the power to govern is shared between the national & state governments. Considered the most geographically expressive of all states.
Confederation: association of sovereign states (or States) by a treaty or agreement. It deals with issues such as defense, foreign affairs, trade, and a common currency.
My definition:
state constitutionally as a unit
members are bound together with a governing representative head
association of sovereign states by a treaty or agreement
My example: United Kingdom (unitary), USA (Federal and Confederation)
Below the state boundary: internal divisions within a state (e.g., States, counties, municipalities (local self-government))
Above the state boundary: refer to supranationalist agreements with two or more states working together for a common purpose.
Electoral regions: the different voting districts that make up local, state, and national regions.
Gerrymandering: the process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the political party in power. The process is usually used to turn “too close to call” states into a party’s favor.
**My definition: **
internal divisions within states
supranationalist agreements with two or more states working together for a common purpose
different voting districts
redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of shaping homogeneous voting groups and benefiting the political party in power
My example: USA and Belgium (below), NATO (above), now illegal in the US (gerrymandering)
Supranationalism: a venture of three or more states (sometimes two or more) involving formal economic, political, and/or cultural cooperation to promote shared objectives. Some examples …
United Nations (UN): established at the end of WWII to foster international security and cooperation (192 member states); precursor was the League of Nations that went defunct at the beginning of WWII. Has many subsidiaries such as the Security Council, World Health Organization (WHO), …).
European Union (EU): union of 27 democratic member states of Europe; began with the formation of Benelux by the end of WWII, then with the formation of the European Economic Community (EEC) years later. The EU’s activities cover most areas of public policy, from economic policy to foreign affairs, defense, agriculture and trade. The European Union is the largest political and economic entity on the European continent, with over 500 million people and an estimated GDP of >US$18 trillion (2008).
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): a military alliance of western democracies begun in 1949 with 28 member states today; its members agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party.
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): a trilateral trade bloc in North America created by the governments of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Poverty rates have fallen and real incomes have risen in Mexico, but farmers haven’t fared well due to cheaper food from US agribusiness; also US manufacturing workers have lost jobs to maquiladora plants in Mexico (mostly due to cheaper labor costs).
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): confederacy of states of the former Soviet Union; it possesses coordinating powers in the realm of trade, finance, lawmaking, and security; also promotes cooperation on democratization and cross-border crime prevention. Some states are considered to be part of the “near-abroad”, referring to states (e.g., Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania) with strong Russian ties linguistically and politically.
My definition:
venture of three or more states involving cooperation to promote shared objectives
foster international security and cooperation (193 states)
largest political and economic entity on the European continent
military alliance begun in 1949
free trade between Canada, USA, Mexico
confederacy of states of the former Soviet Union
**My example: **Western European countries in EU (supranationalism), Taiwan is not part of UN, estimated GDP of $18 trillion (European Union), NATO against Warsaw pact, Bill Clinton signed it (NAFTA), Estonia and Czech Republic (CIS)
Geopolitics: (Friedrich Ratzel) (organic theory) study that analyzes geography, history and social science with reference to international politics. States can be viewed as living organisms that need to consume other territories to survive. Gained a negative reputation when Hitler and the Nazis embraced geopolitics to justify their right for lebensraum (living space) because of their racial superiority.
Heartland Theory: (Halford Mackinder) early 20th c. theory that claimed whichever state controlled the resource-rich “heartland” of Eastern Europe could eventually dominate the world. It would suggest that not the United Kingdom (an ocean-based empire), but Russia (which was becoming communist) would be in a position to achieve this dominance. “Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island (Europe, Asia & Africa); who rules the World-Island controls the world.”
Rimland Theory: (Nicholas Spykman) mid 20th c. theory that the domination of the coastal fringes of Eurasia (the “rimland”) would provide the base for world conquest (not the “heartland”).
My definition:
study that analyzes geography, history and social science with reference to international politics
theory that claimed whichever state controlled the resource-rich “heartland” of Eastern Europe could eventually dominate the world
theory that domination of coastal fringes of Eurasia would provide the base for world conquest
Territorial morphology: study of states’ shapes and their effects
1) Compact: distance from geometric center is similar (e.g., Germany, Hungary,…)
2) Elongated: a.k.a. attenuated (e.g., Chile, Vietnam,…)
- *3)** Fragmented: two or more separate pieces (e.g., Indonesia, Philippines,…)
- *4)** Perforated: territory completely surrounds that of another state (e.g., Italy, Azerbaijan,…)
5) Protruded: a.k.a. prorupt; have an area that extends from a more compact core (e.g,
Thailand, India,…)
6) Bifurcated: has two distinct territories (e.g., Malaysia, Michigan, …)
