Political Geography
Nations and States (GR #1, 10) “Nation” ≈ ethnicity A culturally defined group of people with a shared past and a common future who relate to a territory and have political goals. “State” = country A politically org. territory administered by a sovereign govt. recognized by most of the int’l community.
United Nations Membership (States) Post-WWII creation of states 51 original members largest surge in 1960s (newly free Africa) Another surge in early 1990s former USSR, Yugoslavia, etc. Now around 200 (196)!
How Is Space Politically Organized? (GR #10) Territoriality/Territorial integrity: The right of a government to keep the borders and territory of a state intact and free from attack Sovereignty: Having the last say over a territory — legally Self-determination: The right of an ethnicity to control its own fate This goal is how an ethnicity becomes a nation/nationality
Transformation of Ethnicities into Nationalities Nationality = identification with a group of people who share a common political allegiance to a particular country/hearth Nationalism loyalty and devotion to a nation desire to achieve self-determination for an ethnicity Since the 1800s, this has been considered an ideal map of Europe transformed by nationalistic goals.
FIGURE 7-15a
FIGURE 7-15b
FIGURE 7-15d
The growth of nation-states in most closely linked to language
Transformation of Ethnicities into Nationalities Nationality = identification with a group of people who share a common political allegiance to a particular country/hearth Nationalism loyalty and devotion to a nation desire to achieve self-determination for an ethnicity Since the 1800s, this has been considered an ideal map of Europe transformed by nationalistic goals. BUT, nationalism can be dangerous! We’re the best! You stink! Can lead to hyper-competition, cause of WWI Remember the Nazis were uber-nationalistic!
Transformation of Ethnicities into Nationalities Nation-state = ethnicity and territory correspond No perfect example exists (close = Denmark, Iceland, Japan) perceived as “natural”/“always existing” but a relatively recent thing In 1940, there were about 50 countries Today, there are 193 countries (United Nations membership) Almost all habitable lands belong to a country Some places don’t fit neatly into the classification China and Taiwan (GR #11b) I’ll try to explain this, but watch this video to help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZqVv2wj6C4
If not nation-states, what are most countries? Multiethnic state (GR #5) A state with multiple ethnic groups, all of whom might contribute to a larger national identity Example: the United States Multinational state (GR #6) A state with multiple ethnic groups who retain their own distinctive national identity (thru political allegiance) Example: the United Kingdom Example: Former Soviet Union (the largest multinational state)
A state with more than one nation Multinational State A state with more than one nation
Stateless Nation = a nation with no state Kurds, Palestinians are examples
What is the difference between a stateless nation and a “multi-state” nation? A nation that spans borders but controls at least one, if not more, states Koreans Germans (Anschluss) Germany & Austria Arabs (pan-Arabism) Syria, Jordan, Egypt etc.
Irredentism Irredentism Assertion by a government that a minority living outside its borders belongs to it Serbia over Bosnian Serbs (1990s) Germany over Sudetenland (WWI) Russia over Crimea and parts of Eastern Ukraine NOW! Estonia/Latvia next?
Ethnic identity in the former USSR (GR #7-8) Central Europe Moldova Ukraine (17% Russian) Belarus (8%) Central Asia Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Tajikistan Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan (24%) Baltic States Lithuania Latvia (27%) Estonia (25%) Caucasus Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia Ethnic identity in the former USSR (GR #7-8)
Russia Irredentism????