Stateless Nations and Multinational States

Irredentism is any political or popular movement intended to reclaim and reoccupy a lost homeland. as such irredentism tries to justify its territorial claims on the basis of (real or imagined) historic and/or ethnic affiliations.

Steps 1.Identity: groups must find common bonds 1.Language 2.Religion 3.Historical experience 2.Must identify with a particular area 1.Claim ethnicity 3.Must take steps to separate from a larger power (have political goals) 1.Become a nation

Palestine? Poster Child? For Stateless Nation

Kurdistan Population: between 30 and 40 million inhabitants Area: 350,000 to 500,000 km² State administration: Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Syria Major cities: Mûsil (Mosul), Hewlêr (Arbil) and Kerkûk (Kirkuk), Amed (Diyarbakir), Bedlîs (Bitlis), Kirmaşan (Kermanshah), Sine (Sanandaj) Mehabad (Mahabad) and Qamişlo (Al Qamishli) Territorial language: Kurdish Which country would the US least like offending by backing a Kurdish State?

Chechnya The republic was proclaimed in late 1991 by Dzokhar Dudayev, and fought two devastating wars between with the Russian Federation which denounced secession. In late Two failed wars and numerous terrorists attacks against the Russian Federation (especially in Moscow).

Basque Has had a long history of terrorism against the Spanish (especially during the time of Francisco Franco).

Zapatista Rebellion This southern state in Mexico has tried to break away from Mexico, calling for the rights the indigenous peoples (Mayan).

Tibet Since 1950 China has occupied Tibet and has tried to end the influence of religion by destroying temples and shrines and what many people call a genocide. Unfortunately for the Chinese they have made the Dalai Lama a world figure, where he has gotten much support from the rest of the world. Recently the Chinese have allowed no communications or foreigners in or out of Tibet. One interesting thing today is that hackers from outside China have threatened to bring down the Chinese government’s websites and computer infrastructure (maybe a new way social media may remake the political world).

Toubou Arab and Toubou fighters clash in southern city of Sabha, 70 people dead · Local lead says they will ask for an “international intervention” in order to create a Toubou state is the situation is not addressed · Eastern Cyrenaica had previously asked for a federal Libya 13/04/2012

UK: multination state, empire, ??? While the Office for National Statistics and others describe the United Kingdom as a 'nation state', others, including a then Prime Minister, describe it as a 'multinational state', and the term Home Nations is used to describe the four national teams that represent the four nations of the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales). Depends if you are British or Scottish or Welch.

other multinational states Canada: (French, English and indigenous languages) South Africa: has eleven official languages (Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu) Belgium: Flemish, Walloon, German Nigeria: has 3 major African language families and over 500 languages

Nation States Portugal France Netherlands Poland

So which is it? The largest ethnic group as the percentage of total population. * Dark yellow: 85% and above. * Yellow: 65-84%. * Light yellow: 64% and below; * Blue: Traditional ethnic definitions do not apply. Ethnicity is replaced by color of skin. (Source: WFB. Data as of ).

Spain and the autonomous province of Asturias.

Weak States From