Unit 4: Political Patterns and Processes Flashcards
state
a political unit with a permanent population, defined boundaries, sovereignty over domestic and internal affairs, recognized by other states
nation
a group of people with a shared cultural heritage, unified beliefs/values, a distinct homeland, ability/desire to govern oneself (self-determination)
nation-state
a state made up of mostly one ethnic group and is considered the most cohesive type of state because of the homogeneousness within the population
ex: Japan, Iceland
stateless nation
a nation without sovereignty over its homeland (but would want this sovereignty)
ex: the Kurds, Jews before the creation of Israel
multinational state
state with 2 or more ethnic groups which sometimes leads to conflict
ex: US, Russia, UK
multistate nation
a national group that lives in 2 or more states
ex: the Kurds spread across Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran
autonomous/semiautonomous region
an area within a state that has some ability of self-government from the parent government; usually geographically, ethnically, or culturally distinct areas
ex: Hong Kong (China), Gaza Strip/West Bank (Israel), American Indian Reservation (US)
sovereignty
power of a political unit to rule over its own affairs domestically and internationally
self-determination
the idea of separate ethnicities having the right to govern themselves
imperialism
the idea of extending a nation’s power or dominion, especially through direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political or economic control of other territories and people
colonialism
a specific type of imperialism that involves direct control and governance of a territory (usually with settlement)
devolution
when a central government gives power to a lower level of government
shatterbelts
a culturally diverse, conflict-prone region where weak, fragmented states are caught between the influence of powerful global rivals often containing strategically important resources and locations
ex: the Middle East, Eastern Europe (during the Cold War), West Bank/Gaza Strip
relic(t) boundary
a formal political boundary that doesn’t exist anymore, but still holds a significant influence on present-day cultural or social practices
ex: Hadrian’s Wall, North/South Vietnam, East/West Germany
neocolonialism
the indirect control or influence exerted by developed countries over developed countries over developing countries through economic, political, or cultural means as opposed to extensive military and political ways
choke points
a georgraphic feature that forces people, goods, or military forces into narrow areas that are easy to block, control, or disrupt
ex: Strait of Hormuz
territoriality
how people use space to claim ownership; a basic form of political power; shows the connection of people, their culture, and their economic systems to the land; the willingness of people to defend the space they own
superimposed boundary
a boundary imposed on an area by an outside or conquering power
ex: most African and Middle Eastern borders
antecedent boundary
a boundary that is created before states were established–usually coincides with a physical feature
ex: Malaysia and Indonesia were “pre-separated” by the Borneo rainforest
geometric boundary
a “manmade” straight-line boundary
ex: Canada and US on the 49th parallel
subsequent boundary
a boundary that is drawn after a region is settled
ex: Berlin Wall
consequent boundary
a boundary that coincides with some cultural divide such as religion or language
ex: Pakistan and India
defined boundary
a boundary that is describes, negotiated, and/or documented
delimited boundary
a boundary that is labeled on a map
administered boundary
how each country controls the boundary created
demarcated boundary
a boundary that has official markers placed on the land
berlin conference (plus results)
UNCLOS (different levels included)
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in the use of local and international waters
reapportionment
redrawing boundaries of voting districts
redistricting
redrawing boundaries of voting districts
gerrymandering
redrawing voting districts to favor one political party
federal state
power is shared by different levels of government; a larger land area allows for more differences culturally
ex: US, Canada, Brazil, India
unitary state
most power is held by the central government; a smaller land area which leads to fewer differences culturally
ex: Ireland, UK, Japan, China
reasons for devolution
- division by physical geography (causes isolation because of separation)
- ethnic separatism: ethnic groups/minorities are concentrated in specific regions which can lead to independence movements
- ethnic cleansing: genocide
- terrorism
- economic and social problems (control of natural resources; cultural differences)
irredentism
a factor of devolution; when a group wants to annex land because it is their homeland/has a population that is ethnically similar but a different country controls the territory
results of devolution
autonomous regions (Native American reservations), substate units (Catalonia, Spain), states disintegrating and fragmenting usually along regional and ethnic lines
Spain as an example of devolution
Catalonia is a nationless state within Spain whose people already have a separate police force and control over some public resources, but wish to signify a distinct Catalan identity.
Belgium as an example of devolution
Flanders is a portion of Belgium that is closely related to the Netherlands (primarily because of proximity), as they share the same language and indistinguishable cultures. The same is true for Wallonia and France, so each portion of Belgium wishes to become its own or a part of the Netherlands or France.
Canada as an example of devolution
The region of Nunavut wishes to become its own country not only because of the vastly different political system, but also because of cultural differences from and the rest of Canada.
Nigeria as an example of devolution
The Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo people (and regions) of Nigeria are culturally distinct, especially in regard to religion and religious tolerance amongst the people.
supranational organization
multiple countries form an organization for the collective good of all members
economic supranational organization
European Union (EU), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), World Trade Organization (WTO)
military supranational organization
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Warsaw Pact
political supranational organization
United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), Olympics
centripetal forces
force that unites and brings a country together
ex: similar language, currency, and customs
centrifugal forces
forces that separate or divide a country
ex: different religions, cultures, and customs
