POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY PART 1

 Political Geography: the study of the organization & spatial distribution of how people govern themselves  state: an independent political unit with a defined territory & full sovereignty over its people (also called a country)  - over 200 states in the world (ie: U.S.A., China)  nation: a cultural unit made up of people with a common ancestry living in the same territory (a homeland)  - i.e.: Quebec, Scotland, Navajo  * stateless nation: a people without a state  - i.e.: Kurds, Gypsies, Basques, & Palestinians

B. Types of Boundaries  geometric boundaries: grid systems  physical boundaries: natural features  mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, deserts  anthropographic: cultural boundaries  ethnicity, language, religion A. Boundaries & Borders Shapes of states five basic shapes landlocked states Types of boundaries physical cultural boundary: lines that establish the limits of a state’s authority

Stateless Nation – The Kurds a nation without a state III. nation-state: a state that is located within a homeland - only about 9% of countries are nation-states: Japan, Sweden, Portugal, Costa Rica, Iceland, Poland, Korea * multinational state: a state with more than one nation (Russia, Canada, & many in E.U.) * part-nation state: cultural identity over many countries (Arab Nation)

8 Characteristics of a State: territory with recognized boundaries permanent population economic system social system transportation system government that provides order sovereignty (control) external recognition  Rise of the Modern State  “Modern” State began in W. Europe in the 1600s  Universal idea of the “state” developed with  the French Revolution  diffused to rest of the world by 1900

 Globalization  Nuclear weapons  Terrorism  New superpowers: European Union  (EU), China, India

Size and Location  Large size: access to natural resources & population, but can be difficult to administer Small size: can be a disadvantage (W. Africa vs. Singapore) Shapes  compact  elongated  fragmented  perforated  prorupt

Positional Dispute – disagreement over older  antecedent boundary (Peru-Ecuador  Territorial Dispute – disagreement over the  possession/control of land (i.e.: Kasmir; Somalia;  Israel; Kurds; Basques; Spratly Islands)  irredentism: territorial expansion (i.e.: Nazi Germany)III.  Resource Dispute – over water, oil, sea (i.e.: Rio  Grande between the U.S. and Mexico; Iraq-Kuwait) IV.  Functional Dispute – problem over use of land today (i.  e.: illegal immigration)

antecedent boundary: drawn before population  established itself subsequent boundary: drawn after population  established itself (respects existing cultural patterns) superimposed boundary: drawn after population  established itself (DOES NOT respect existing  cultural patterns) relict boundary: boundary that has ceased to exist  but imprint remains on cultural landscape

 Centripetal Forces: promote unity & cohesion  (i.e.: building roads, schools, armed forces, hospitals)  Centrifugal Forces: destabilize or weaken a state  (i.e.: separatist/autonomous movements; devolution; regionalism; tribalism) Is nationalism a centripetal or centrifugal force? “balkanization”?  The fragmentation of a region into smaller, hostile  political units

 nationalism– creating a the concept of allegiance to one single country or nation  ethnonationalism– where the “nation” is defined In terms of ethnicity  Exs:  Scotland  Spain– Basques, Catalonia  Belgium– Flemish (Dutch) vs. Walloon (Fr.)  Former Yugoslavia  Russia– Chechnya  Quebec  devolution: movement of power from the  central government to regional  governments within the state   What causes devolutionary  movements?  Ethno-nationalism Economic forces Spatial forces

Classical Geopolitics  German School:  Ratzel’s “organic state theory” the state is a living organism, surviving by “eating”  less powerful neighbors  British/American School:  Mackinder’s “Heartland Theory”:a unified heartland land- based Empire  Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland  Who rules the Heartland commands the World Island  Who rules the World Island commands the World  Spykman’s “Rimland Theory”:a rimland sea-based power the interplay between geography, power, politics, & international relationS Post-WW II World Order: Bipolar World ( ): U.S. vs. Soviet Union The “Cold War” Multipolar World ( ) International cooperation “New World Order” Unilateral World ( ) states taking individual action

Cooperation among States Political cooperation  United Nations  African Union Military cooperation  NATO Economic cooperation  European Union  NAFTA  OPEC An international organization of 3 or more states that form an administrative structure for some mutual benefit - involves a global integration of political, economic, environmental, and cultural activities of states Military Cooperation post-World War II most European states joined one of two military alliances: NATO or the Warsaw Pact NATO and the Warsaw Pact were designed to maintain bipolar power in Europe NATO expanded membership in 1997 to include several former Warsaw Pact countries Economic Cooperation era of bipolar balance of power ended when Soviet Union disbanded in 1991 most important elements of state power are increasingly economic rather than military E.U. A.U.

Territorial waters: 12 nm from coastline Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): 200 nm from coastline (includes fish & mineral resources)

 Supranationalism & the State?  - many political scientists point out a counter  trend to international cooperation:  FRAGMENTATION  - a tendency for people to base their loyalty on  ethnicity, language, religion, or cultural identity

 1. unitary: highly centralized government where the capital city serves as a focus of power  Exs: France, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan  2. federal: a government where the state is organized into territories, which have control over policies & funds  Exs: USA, Mexico, India, Russia

 a state’s electoral system is part of its political  spatial organization  In the U.S.: - territorial representation (i.e.: electoral college)  - re-districting (due to new census data every 10 yrs), which  causes “gerrymandering”  - voting rights for minority populations Gerrymandering: 1. drawing voting districts to benefit one political party over another