UNIT 4 Flashcards
What are the primary building blocks of the world political map?
Independent states
Define a state.
A country with defined territory, permanent population, government, sovereignty, and recognition from other states
What is sovereignty?
The right of a government to control and defend its territory and determine what happens within its borders
What is the difference between a country and a nation?
A country is a political entity; a nation is a cultural entity
What defines a nation?
A group of people with a common identity through shared cultural traits such as language, religion, ethnicity, and heritage
What is a nation-state?
A state with ideally only one nation, where the borders of the nation match the borders of the state
Provide an example of a nation-state.
Japan: 98% Japanese, 70% Shinto & Buddhist
What is a multi-state nation?
A population that shares a cultural or ethnic background but lives in more than one country
What is a multinational state?
A country with various ethnicities and cultures within its borders
What is a stateless nation?
Nations of people without a state to occupy
Give an example of a stateless nation.
The Kurds
Define territoriality.
An attempt by an individual or group to affect, influence, or control people, phenomena, and relationships by delimiting and asserting control over a geographic area
What is colonialism?
The practice of claiming and dominating overseas territories
What is neocolonialism?
The use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries
What is a choke point?
A strategic strait or canal that is narrow and hard to pass through, often crucial for shipping commodities
What is a political boundary?
A vertical plane that cuts through the airspace and ground to determine state ownership
What is an antecedent boundary?
Borders established before major settlement by people in a territory
What is a subsequent boundary?
Borders drawn in areas already settled by people, typically due to changes over time
Define a relic boundary.
A border that no longer exists but has left an imprint on the local cultural or environmental geography
What is a superimposed boundary?
A boundary line placed over and ignoring an existing cultural pattern
What is devolution?
The process where central power in a state is broken up among regional authorities
What is a federal state?
A style of government where power is shared between central, regional, and local governments
What is a unitary state?
A style of government where power is located centrally, with regional units carrying out policies
What is the census?
An official count conducted every 10 years to gather data on age and race
What is reapportionment?
The process in which U.S. House of Representatives seats are re-allocated to different states based on population change
What is redistricting?
The process of redrawing internal political boundaries that determine voting districts
What are maritime boundaries?
Limits defined by international law regarding territorial seas, exclusive economic zones, and contiguous zones
What is territorial sea?
The area extending 12 nautical miles from the coastline where a state has complete sovereignty
What is an exclusive economic zone (EEZ)?
An area extending 200 nautical miles from the coastline where a state has special rights over marine resources
What is a landlocked country?
A state that does not have a direct outlet to the sea
What is irredentism?
The attempt to acquire territories in neighboring states inhabited by people of the same nation
What is the median line principle?
A method for drawing maritime boundaries that is midway between two or more states’ coasts
What is reapportionment?
Process in which U.S. House of Representatives seats are re-allocated to different states, based on population change.
How many congressional districts are there in the U.S.?
435 congressional districts.
What is the electoral college?
Organization that utilizes the popular vote to vote for president.
What happens when a state loses a congressional seat?
Loss of congressional seat = loss of electoral college seat.
How many total seats are in the electoral college?
538 in electoral college.
What are the components of the electoral college?
- 435 US representatives
- 100 senators
- 3 representing DC, Washington
What is redistricting?
States internal political boundaries that determine voting districts for the US House of Representatives and the state legislatures.
What are voting districts?
A geographic term used by state and local governments to organize elections.
Who draws voting districts?
Drawn by state legislatures.
What are the requirements for voting districts?
- Similar population size
- Contiguous - single unbroken shape
- Compact - smooth boundaries clustering around a core
What is an ideal representative district?
Voting districts that are equal in population, contiguous, and compact.
What is gerrymandering?
Redistricting for a political advantage.
What is packing in gerrymandering?
Clustering like-minded voters in a single district.
What is cracking in gerrymandering?
Dispersing like-minded voters among multiple districts.
What are the results of gerrymandering?
- Impacts election results at various scales
- Can lower voter participation
- Shift in partisan political power
- Lack of sense of community in the district
What role do race and ethnicity play in gerrymandering?
They influence the drawing of gerrymandered boundaries.
What did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 achieve?
Created new majority-minority districts where minorities made up the majority of voters.
What is the advantage of at-large representatives?
They keep the interests of the entire community in mind and tend to be less partisan.
What is the disadvantage of at-large representatives?
Minority groups in at-large districts are underrepresented.
What is the advantage of single-member districts?
Allow for greater representation of all groups.
What is nationalism?
The identification with a group sharing legal attachment and loyalty to a country, similar to ethnicity but with different meanings.
What is devolution?
The process in which regions within a state demand and gain political strength and growing autonomy at the expense of the central government.
List factors that lead to the devolution of states.
- Cultural diversity
- Regional economic difference
- Physical geography
What is autonomy?
Independence, freedom, self-governing.
What is ethnic separatism?
When people of a particular ethnicity identify more strongly as members of their ethnic group than as citizens of the state.
True or False: Ethnic cleansing is a process in which a more powerful ethnic group forcibly removes a less powerful ethnic group.
True
What is irredentism?
A majority ethnic group wants to claim territory from a neighboring state due to a shared culture with the people residing across the border.
Define compact state.
A rounded state with a similar distance from the center to any boundary.
What is a fragmented state?
A state with multiple noncontiguous pieces, often separated by water.
What was the purpose of the Treaty of Versailles?
To redraw boundaries in Europe and Southwest Asia after WWI, breaking up empires to create nation-states.
What does self-determination refer to?
The right of all people to govern themselves.
What is apartheid?
A program of racial segregation implemented in South Africa after World War II until the 1990s.
What are centrifugal forces?
Forces that lead to the disintegration of a state, often resulting in failed states.
What is ethnonationalism?
When the people of a country identify as having one common ethnicity, language, and religion, creating a sense of pride and unity.
What are supranational organizations?
Alliances of three or more states that work together in pursuit of common goals.
What is the significance of the Berlin Conference?
It marked the height of colonialism and imperialism, leading to the partitioning of Africa.
Fill in the blank: The _______ refers to the systematic use of violence to intimidate a population or coerce a government.
[terrorism]
What are some examples of states that have experienced devolution?
- Catalonia
- Basque
- Quebec
- Flanders
What does the term ‘failed state’ refer to?
A state where centrifugal forces are strong enough to threaten sovereignty and the government cannot provide essential services.
What are the permanent member states of the United Nations Security Council?
- Russia
- China
- United States
- France
- Great Britain
What is the primary goal of the United Nations?
To maintain peace and security and promote economic and social development.
What event in 2014 is related to irredentism in Ukraine?
Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
True or False: The fall of the Soviet Union resulted in a number of newly independent states.
True
What is the impact of time-space compression on state sovereignty?
It increases devolutionary pressures and challenges to state sovereignty.
What are the permanent members of the UN Security Council?
Russia, China, United States, France, Great Britain
Which two observer states cannot vote in the UN?
Vatican City, Palestine
What was the last country to join the UN and in what year?
South Sudan in 2011
What is NATO?
Military alliance
When was NATO founded?
October 24, 1945
Is Russia a member of NATO?
No
How many member states are in NATO?
29 member states
What organization governs common economic, social, and security issues in Europe?
European Union (EU)
When was the EU founded?
November 10, 1993
How many member states are in the EU?
27 member states
What is the single currency used by the EU?
Euro
What is Brexit?
UK leaving the EU
What is ASEAN?
International organization to accelerate economic growth and maintain peace in Southeast Asia
When was ASEAN founded?
August 8, 1967
How many member states are in ASEAN?
10 member states
What is the Arctic Council?
High-level intergovernmental council addressing Arctic issues
When was the Arctic Council founded?
September 19, 1996
How many member states are in the Arctic Council?
8 member states
What is the primary issue addressed by the Arctic Council?
Climate change
What is the African Union?
Intergovernmental organization promoting unity and economic development in Africa
When was the African Union founded?
July 9, 2002
How many member states are in the African Union?
55 member states
What is the purpose of Mercosur?
Economic integration and creation of a large market
How many full member states are in Mercosur?
4 full member states
What is the Southern African Development Community (SADC)?
Community development organization
How many member states are in SADC?
16 member states
What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)?
Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance
How many member states are in the SCO?
8 member states
What is the Arab League?
Political, cultural, economic, and social organization
How many member states are in the Arab League?
22 member states
What is the Pacific Alliance?
Latin American trade bloc
How many member states are in the Pacific Alliance?
4 member states
What is the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)?
Trading bloc between North American countries
How many member states are in the USMCA?
3 member states
What is a positive of supranational organizations?
Decrease conflict and promote cooperation
What is a negative of supranational organizations?
Can challenge state sovereignty
What is the Domino Theory?
Political destabilization in one country can lead to collapse in neighboring countries
What does NGO stand for?
Non-Governmental Organization
What are microstates?
Tiny, usually homogenous states
Define exclave.
A territorial outlier of one state surrounded by another state’s territory
Define enclave.
A piece of territory surrounded by a country not ruled by that country
What is the East/West divide?
Geographic separation between democratic and communist countries
What is the North/South divide?
Socio-economic and political division between wealthy and poorer countries
What is a tipping point in demographic terms?
Degree of ethnic mixing that induces majority group to move out rapidly
Who wrote the theory of Lebensraum?
Friedrich Ratzel
What is the Heartland Theory?
He who rules inland Europe rules the world
Who proposed the Rimland Theory?
Nicholas Spykman
What is geopolitics concerned with?
Achievement and maintenance of power strategies
What was a key feature of the Cold War?
Competition and tension between the United States and the Soviet Union
