In the Context of Globalization and Local Diversity

Internationally:

Define relevant political geographic terminology.


Explain the impact of colonization and imperialism on Africa.
Identify and describe the various geopolitical theories.

Evaluate the opposing forces of separatism, devolution, and internationalism.
Internal and Local Scale:

Review the influence of internal political organization to the distribution of power.

Evaluate the challenges associated with redistricting and gerrymandering.


Political Geography – studies spatial components of political processes & interactions.

What is territoriality?

What is a state?

Sovereignty- Supreme authority of a state over its own affairs and freedom from control by outside sources (pg 195).


A nation is not a state or a country—

A group of people with shared political aspirations whose collective identity is rooted in a common history, heritage, and attachment to a territory (pg. 197).

Multinational state – two or more nations exist in the state.

Nation-state – boundaries of the state match the boundaries a nation who share a sense of political identity.


Based on what you’ve learned in school and through the media, what are some of the pivotal events that made our world map look the way it does today?

Imperialism

One state’s direct or indirect control over the affairs of another political society.

Begins with exploration.

One example is European expansion in the 15 th century.


A form of imperialism where a state takes possession of a foreign territory, occupies it and governs it (pg. 199)

God, Gold, and Glory

A factor underlying many problems of contemporary multinational states.

Great Britain had the largest empire, France the second.

Political
Boundaries in
Africa are a legacy of colonialism.

BBC Video Clip


The acquisition, by colonized peoples, of control over their own territory.

Influenced by self-determination – ability to chose own political status.

US independence in 1776, pretty early compared to other colonies.

Latin American countries by 1825.

African and Asian countries in the 1900s.


A legacy of colonialism.

Differentiates colonizing states of the North
Hemisphere and colonies of the Southern
Hemisphere.

Characterized by a relationship of dependence.



Territories are enclosed by boundaries.
All boundaries are human creations.

Physiographic

Geometric

Ethnographic

Relic Boundaries
Five shapes: Compact,
Elongated, Prorupt,
Fragmented, Perforated

Boundaries tell us what belongs and what does not belong.

Centripetal and Centrifugal forces

Centripetal forces – events or circumstances that help people in a state feel more united and connected.

Nationalism – expression of loyalty to a state.

Patriotism – devotion and love for a state.

Centrifugal – events or circumstances that weaken the connections between people in a state.


What are some examples of a centrifugal force?
Centripetal?

How do countries build nationalism?


When a nation wants to break away from a state, it is called separatism.

Devolution – the transfer of certain powers to communities/nations within the state.

Opposing force: internationalism

Development of close political and economic relations among states.

Ukraine Maps , Washington Post video , Crimea

How does geography help us understand this conflict?



United Nations




193 member states
Created in 1945 by Allies
Replace the League of Nations
Peace-keeping organization
Regional Organizations





North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OAS)
Organization of American States (OAS)
African Union (AU)
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

European Union


What is the impact of supranational organizations on state sovereignty?

Is the risk of separatism a big concern for states in the future?

If you were a politician, would you be more concerned about the impact of supranational groups or separatist groups?


The study of relations among geography, states, and world power.

A state’s power to control space or territory shape the foreign policy of individual states and international political relations.

A state is also a set of institutions that maintains and protects a society.


Theory of the Organic State, 1897 –
Friedrich Ratzel used organisms as a metaphor for the state.
Lebensraum – living space
Need to compete for territory!
photograph from the University of Leipzig
Mr. Kjellen – only large states will last so foreign policy should focus on that.





Heartland Theory, I940s –
Halford Mackinder: stability requires balance of power.
Upset the balance, and someone can dominate.
Mackinderforum.org
Need to control Eurasia! The geographical pivot or heartland.
“Who rules East Europe commands the
Heartland, Who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island, Who rules the World Island commands the World.”
Also felt territory = power


Cold War Geopolitics – based on hostilities between the US and
Russia mid 1940s – 1980s.

Bipolar world system

Domino Theory

Influenced Containment Doctrine
Dwight D. Eisenhower wikimedia
Geoge F. Kennan – wikipedia image


Clash of the Civilizations and the Remaking of the
World Order (1996)

Samuel Huntington

Multipolar world

Largest scale for understanding identity is the civilization – clash at the “fault lines”
 Religion the most important basis of civilization


Deterritorialization

People aren’t as connected to territories or “places” as they were in the past

Globalization
 People MOVE! We have VIRTUAL communities!


Military relationships haven’t gone away, but aren’t the focus (for example, NATO got bigger after
1992).

Economic cooperation is now the main focus of state relationships.

Countries that have an economic relationship are less likely to attack one another.


How would you describe today’s political world system?
How is it organized? What places/regions seem the most powerful? What kinds of changes do you expect to see in the future?

NATO definition of terrorism:

The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence against individuals or property in an attempt to coerce or intimidate governments or societies to achieve political, religious or ideological objectives.

How is it different from other acts of political violence?
-Perspective matters
4 broad categories:
1.
Revolutionary
2.
Separatist
3.
4.
Single-Issue
Religious

Domestic terrorism - Some groups have had a steady presence, geographically localized. Tends to be about domestic policy.

International terrorism - very organized, long-term focus and about international policy –relatively new phenomena.
Worldwide Incident Tracking System


Provide sanctuary or supplies; assist with planning

Historic or Current Examples:

Libya

Afghanistan

Iraq

Iran

Pakistan

Redistricting &
Reapportionment
GERRYMANDERING http://video.pbs.org/vid eo/2036620771/


The political map we have today is different from the past and is always evolving--boundaries are a human creation.

Boundaries are a symbol of power.

The relationships between countries also change, and are influenced by past relationships.

Globalization increases military, economic, and political connections between countries.

We are seeing increased demands of nationalities for selfdetermination.

Economic relationships between countries have become the focus.

Be able to:

Describe how states and nations are different.


Identify the types of boundaries and territorial shapes.
Explain the impact that imperialism and colonization had on the political map and stability of Africa.





Explain the difference between centripetal and centrifugal forces and identify examples.
Identify and describe the various geopolitical theories that you organized into a table.
Describe when redistricting become gerrymandering.
What are some examples of supranational organizations?
Terms to know in addition to the ones above: state, sovereignty, nation, nation-state, multinational state, self-determination, separatism, devolution, internationalism