Unit 4: Political Geo Review

1. Unit 4: Political Geo Review

2. Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory • Core • Semi-Periphery • Periphery • Brandt Line

3. Territoriality • Landlocked states • Forward Capital • Government Power Organized • Unitary, Confederate, Federal • Political Impact on Landscape

4. State Shapes

5. Boundaries • Physical / Natural Boundaries • Cultural Boundaries • Geometric Boundaries • Consequent Boundaries • Religious Boundaries • Language Boundaries • Subsequent Boundaries • Antecedent Boundaries • Superimposed Boundaries

6. Boundary definition – • determining the boundary by a treaty-like agreement through actual points, latitude/longitude, or landscape • Boundary delimitation – • the boundary is drawn on the map • Boundary demarcation – • the boundary is established by steel posts, concrete pillars, fences, etc. to mark the boundary on the ground

7. Devolution • Regional or Asymmetrical Federalism

8. Electoral Geography • Reapportionment • Gerrymander

9. Centripetal/Centrifugal

10. Centripetal forces • Raison d'être • Nationalism • Unifying institutions: schools, the armed forces and state churches. *Organization and administration of the government. • Transportation and communication – strong core area • A perceived threat to a group’s sense of identity.

11. Centrifugal forces • Forces that disrupt internal order and further the destruction of a country. • Ethnic conflicts; competing claims among ethnic groups. • Religion • Poorly run government and/or transportation systems. • A dissident minority seeking autonomy • Large population in frontier area • Devolution: transfer of power from the state’s central government. to separate political subdivisions within its territory.

12. Forms of Government Source: Matthew White, 2003. http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/othergov.htm Adapted from FreedomHouse.org

13. African colonies

14. Geopolitics • Ratzel – Organic State • Haushofer – lebensraum • Mackinder – Pivot Area & Heartland Theory • Alfred T. Mahan – control sea lanes • Spykman – Rimland Theory

15. Effect • US equated the Heartland theory w/the USSR so adopted containment in reaction to the Domino Theory • Creating alliances in the Rimland: • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) • Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) in West Asia • Southeast Treaty Organization (SEATO) • Eastern Europe became a shatterbelt or shatter zone during the Cold War –

16. International Organizations • Supranational Org • Political/Military Org • Economic Org • UNCLOS OPEC

17. Trading Blocs

18. What is Terrorism • US: premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents • UN: intention to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act.

19. Number of Terrorism Incidents, 2000-2008

20. Types of Terrorism • Domestic – acts against one’s own country (Oklahoma City) • International – acts that transcend national boundaries (9/11) • Subnational – acts committed by nongovernmental groups (Chechnya) • State – acts committed by agents of the government (Syria)

21. The 8 Stages of Genocide Understanding the genocidal process is one of the most important steps in preventing future genocides. Classification Symbolization Dehumanization Organization Polarization Preparation Extermination Denial