A subfield within the human branch of geography The study of the interaction of geographical area and political process It is the formal study of territoriality. POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

Political geography Economics supposedly eroding significance of borders. Ethnic minorities feel they deserve states of their own. States under attack from above (global economics) and from below (ethnic communities). Yet states are still powerful, and can respond.

A politically organized territory Administered by a sovereign government Recognized by a significant portion of the international community. A state must also contain: – a permanent resident population – an organized economy STATE

Nationality and Ethnicity Nationality = tied together through a legal status Ethnicity = groups with distinct ancestry and cultural traditions Race = groups defined narrowly by skin color and other physical characteristics

A country whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity. NATION - STATE Classic Example of a Nation-State: Japan

Must a nation be a place? Some examples of stateless nations: the Cherokee Nation, the Kurds, the Palestinians NATION

Every U.S. citizen = American nationality Every American = belongs to a race Some Americans = identified with ethnicity Multi-ethnic States

State-nationstate-multinational state

Geographic Characteristics of States SIZE –What role does size play? –What are the most powerful nations on earth today? –What were the most powerful nations on earth 200 years ago?

Geographic Characteristics Shape Compact Prorupt Elongated Fragmented Perforated

Types of territoriality State Ethnic Religious Racial Fears of “Balkanization” (splitting state) But common defiance of outsiders

Pan-isms (Uniting same group from different states) Ethnic:Pan-Arab, Pan-Kurdish Religious:Pan-Islamic Racial:Pan-African States:Pan-American

Kurds Ethnic group in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria. Many Kurds for state of Kurdistan. States pit Kurds against each other

Iraq Ethnic: Arabs vs. Kurds Religion: Sunnis vs. Shi’as Rulers were Sunni Arab

IRAN (Shi’a Persian) vs. IRAQ (Sunni Arab) Yet Iraqi Shi’as fought for Iraq, Iranian Arabs fought for Iran (State territoriality won) Iran-Iraq War, Iranians Iraqis

ARMENIA (Christian) vs. AZERBAIJAN (Shi’a Muslim) Yet Shi’a Iran stayed neutral, fearing ethnic Azeris in NW Iran (Ethnic territoriality won) Armenia-Azerbaijan War, Armenian (above) and Azeri views

Kashmir conflict (CHINA) INDIA PAKISTAN CHINA KASHMIR INDIA (Hindu) vs. PAKISTAN (Muslim) British India partitioned into two states, Kashmir had Muslim majority but Hindu ruler. Wars split Kashmir between India, Pakistan, and China (all now have nukes) Indian and Pakistani propaganda maps

Cold War propaganda map: “Red menace”

View of Communist “Red Bloc” during Cold War Lumping failed to recognize differences among Communists, or local causes of conflict

Samuel Huntington theory of Western, Islamic, Slavic, etc. “blocs” in conflict with each other. “Clash of Civilizations” theory

Fails to recognize differences within each “bloc.” Most sources of conflict are local (often ethnic), not religious. Often blames the victim for the conflict. The West shares responsibility for conflicts (military aid arms both sides) “Clash of Civilizations” theory

Lumping Arabs or Muslims after Sept. 11

How Many Americans View the World

Cartoon: Bush’s View of the World Problem: some former allies later seen as “evil”

GEOPOLITICSGEOPOLITICS State’s power to control territory, shape international policy and other states’ foreign policy State’s power to control territory, shape international policy and other states’ foreign policy

Growth of Russian Empire

African colonies

Decolonization, 1940s-1990s

Divide-and-conquer Ethnic nations split between and within colonial empires (British, French, Russian) But “clean” ethnic boundaries also not possible Berlin Conference divides map of Africa, 1884

Mackinder’s Heartland Theory (Whoever controls Pivot Area can control the world) The “Great Game” between Britain and Russia, 1800s-1900s

Enlargement of Soviet bloc after World War II Berlin Wall,

NATO and Warsaw Pact,

Changes in Europe,

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 2002 Kosovo military zones

European Union Began as European Economic Community (EEC), Stronger in new members to join, 2004 euro

United Nations member states Switzerland 2002

Other international alliances

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY Interaction of politics and place

Geography of Politics Effect of politics on place

U.S.- Canada boundary Alberta- Montana

U.S.- Mexico boundary Calexico, California- Mexicali, Mexico

Politics of Geography Effect of place on politics Example: Making political boundaries

Congressional reapportionment

Levels of administrative regions

ELECTORAL GEOGRAPHY Political Geography of Elections Variation of voting districts and voting patterns

U.S. congressional delegation redistricting Reapportionment : allocating seats to a geographic area (after every census)

“Gerrymandering” Redistricting for partisan purposes

1860 Presidential Vote Led to Southern secession, Civil War

1996 Presidential Vote

2000 Presidential Vote

Davis (D)48% Simon (R)42% Camejo (G) 5% Copeland (L) 2%

I