Summer Course - Political Terms

Question 1

Balkanization

Answer 1

Process by which a state breaks down through conflicts among its ethnicities.

Question 2

Multinational State

Answer 2

State that contains more than one nation (usually no one single dominant ethnic group)

Question 3

Boundary

Answer 3

Invisible line that marks the extent of a state’s territory.

Question 4

Centripetal Force

Answer 4

An attitude that tends to unify people and enhance support for a state.

Question 5

Centrifugal Force

Answer 5

A force that divides people and countries.

Question 6

Colonies

Answer 6

A group of people who leave their native country to form a new land a settlement subject to, or connected with, the parent nation.

Question 7

Confederal System

Answer 7

A system consisting of a league of independent states, each having essentially sovereign powers. The central government created by such a league has only limited powers over the states.

Question 8

Subsequent Boundaries

Answer 8

The boundaries between states are set by cultural differences especially those based on language and/or religion.

Question 9

Locational Disputes

Answer 9

Conflict over location, usually associated with physical boundaries.

Question 10

Allocational Disputes

Answer 10

Disagreements over the control or use of shared resources such as boundary rivers or jointly claimed fishing grounds.

Question 11

Functional Disputes

Answer 11

Disagreements between neighboring states over policies to be applied to their common border; often induced by differing customs regulations, movement of nomadic group or illegal immigration or emigration.

Question 12

Enclave

Answer 12

A distinct region or community enclosed within a larger territory.

Question 13

Exclave

Answer 13

A part of a country that is separated from the rest of the country and surrounded by foreign territory.

Question 14

Federal Systems

Answer 14

Government systems that divide the powers between the national government and state or provincial governments.

Question 15

Frontier

Answer 15

A zone separating two states in which neither state exercises political control.

Question 16

Geometric Boundary

Answer 16

Political boundaries that are defined and delimited by straight lines.

Question 17

Gerrymandering

Answer 17

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

Question 18

Geopolitics

Answer 18

An interest in or taking of land for its strategic location or products.

Question 19

Imperialism

Answer 19

A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries politically, socially, and economically.

Question 20

Median-Line Principle

Answer 20

Lines made to distribute waterways when states are within 200 miles of each other.

Question 21

Microstate

Answer 21

A state or territory that is small in both size and population.

Question 22

Nationalism

Answer 22

A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one’s country.

Question 23

Nation-State

Answer 23

A country who’s population share a common identity.

Question 24

Physical Boundary

Answer 24

Boundary defined by a physical land mark like a river or a lake.

Question 25

Sovereignty

Answer 25

Ability of a state to govern its territory free from the control of its internal affairs by other states.

Question 26

Stateless Nation

Answer 26

A nationality that is not represented by a state.

Question 27

State

Answer 27

A politically organized territory that is administered by a sovereign government and is recognized by the international community.

Question 28

Supranational Organization

Answer 28

Organization of three or more states to promote shared objectives.

Question 29

Unitary State

Answer 29

A state in which most political power exists at the national level, with limited local authority.