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Political Geography: Interaction of Politics and Place

Explore the interaction of politics and geographic areas in the study of political boundaries, ethnic territories, and the power of states.

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Political Geography: Interaction of Politics and Place

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  1. POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY • 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. Interaction of politics and place

  2. U.S.- Canada boundary Alberta- Montana

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

  4. Politics of Geography Effect of place on politics and effect of politics on place Example: Making political boundaries Politics on place Place on politics

  5. Political Geography • Economics supposedly eroding significance of national borders. • However, many 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.

  6. STATE • 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

  7. NATION - STATE • A country whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity. • Stems from European Renaissance idea (Rousseau) of the “social contract” as highest moral order. • Imposed on much of the world by the West. Classic Example of a Nation-State: Japan

  8. Multi-ethnic States Every U.S. citizen = American nationality Every American = belongs to a “race” (though this has no scientific meaning) Some Americans = identified with ethnicity

  9. Geographic Characteristics of States • SIZE • What role does size play in the economy of a state? In government services? In nationalism and patriotism? • Does shape have any effect? • What are the most powerful nations on earth today? • What were the most powerful nations on earth 200 years ago?

  10. Geographic Characteristics of States Shape • Compact - smaller states, especially if they are simply shaped. • Prorupt are nearly compact but possess one or sometimes two narrow extensions of territory. • Elongated – thin, narrow, long shapes. • Fragmented – islands or other fragments. • Perforated– “holes” cut into the state. On the next slide, match the term to the State.

  11. Shape • Compact • Prorupt • Elongated • Fragmented • Perforated

  12. African colonies

  13. Decolonization, 1940s-1990s

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

  15. Kurds – “Nation Without a State” Ethnic group in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria. Many Kurds want to create a state of “Kurdistan” States pit Kurds against each other.

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

  17. Armenia-Azerbaijan War, 1988-94 ARMENIA (Christian) vs. AZERBAIJAN (Shi’a Muslim) Yet Shi’a Iran stayed neutral, fearing ethnic Azeris in NW Iran (Ethnic territoriality won) Armenian (above) and Azeri views

  18. Kashmir conflict KASHMIR (CHINA) INDIA (Hindu) vs. PAKISTAN (Muslim) PAKISTAN CHINA INDIA British India partitioned into two states, 1948. Kashmir had Muslim majority but Hindu ruler. Wars split Kashmir between India, Pakistan, and China (all now have nukes) Indian and Pakistani propaganda maps

  19. GEOPOLITICS-State’s power to control territory, shape international policy and other states’ foreign policy.

  20. Cold War propaganda map: “Red menace”

  21. Growth of Russian Empire

  22. Enlargement of Soviet bloc after World War II Berlin Wall, 1961-89

  23. NATO and Warsaw Pact, 1945-89

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

  25. Terrorism, Al-Qaeda, and “The Axis of Evil” • President G.W. Bush used this phrase in 2002 to describe Iraq, Iran, and North Korea (formerly called “rogue states”) to suggest that post 9-11 geopolitics is best understood as capitalist democracies versus dictatorships and the terrorists they sponsor. • PBS NewsHour discussion of the speech.

  26. How Many Americans View the World

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

  28. United Nations Member States (191) Switzerland 2002

  29. European Union Began as European Economic Community (EEC), 1957. Stronger in 1994 10 new members joined, 2004 Turkey, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria want to join.

  30. Levels of administrative regions

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

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

  33. “Gerrymandering” Redistricting for partisan purposes

  34. 1860 Presidential Vote Led to Southern secession, Civil War

  35. 1996 Presidential Vote

  36. Congressional reapportionment

  37. 2004 Presidential Vote

  38. 2004 Presidential Vote

  39. 2004 Presidential Vote

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

  41. 205 229 1 I

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