a subfield within the human branch of 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.

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

Interaction Interaction of politics of politics and place and place

U.S.-Canadaboundary

Alberta-Montana

U.S.-Mexicoboundary

Calexico, California-Mexicali, Mexico

Politics of GeographyPolitics of Geography

Effect of place on politics Effect of place on politics and effect of and effect of politics on placepolitics on place

ExampleExample::Making political boundariesMaking political boundaries

Place on politicsPlace on politics

Politics on placePolitics on place

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.

• 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

• 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.

NATION - STATE

Classic Example Classic Example of of

a Nation-State:a Nation-State: JapanJapan

Every U.S. citizen = American nationality

Every American = belongs to a “race” (though this has no scientific meaning)

Some Americans = identified with ethnicity

Multi-ethnic States

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?

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.

Shape• Compact • Prorupt

• Elongated

• Fragmented

• Perforated

Africancolonies

Decolonization, 1940s-1990s

Types of territorialityState

Ethnic

Religious

Racial

Fears of“Balkanization”(splitting state)

But commondefiance ofoutsiders

Kurds – “Nation Without a State”

Ethnic group in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria.

Many Kurdswant to create a state of“Kurdistan”

States pit Kurdsagainst each other.

Iraq

Ethnic:Arabs vs.Kurds

Religion:Sunnis vs.Shi’as

Rulers wereSunni Arab

ARMENIA (Christian) vs.AZERBAIJAN (Shi’a Muslim)

Yet Shi’a Iran stayed neutral,fearing ethnic Azeris in NW Iran (Ethnic territoriality won)

Armenia-AzerbaijanWar, 1988-94

Armenian (above) and Azeri views

Kashmir conflict(CHINA)

INDIA

PAKISTAN CHINA

KASHMIR

INDIA (Hindu) vs.PAKISTAN (Muslim)

British India partitionedinto two states, 1948.

Kashmir had Muslimmajority but Hindu ruler.

Wars split Kashmirbetween India,Pakistan, and China(all now have nukes)

Indian andPakistanipropagandamaps

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

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

Cold War propaganda map: “Red menace”

Growth of Russian Empire

Enlargement ofSoviet bloc after

World War II

BerlinWall,

1961-89

NATO and Warsaw Pact, 1945-89

View of Communist “Red Bloc” during Cold War

Lumping failed to recognizedifferences among Communists,

or local causes of conflict

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.

How Many Americans View the World

Cartoon:

Bush’s Viewof the World?

Problem:some formerallies laterseen as “evil”

United Nations Member States (191)

Switzerland 2002

EuropeanUnion

Began as EuropeanEconomic

Community(EEC), 1957.

Stronger in 1994

10 new membersjoined, 2004

Turkey, Greece, Romania,

Bulgaria want to join.

Levels ofadministrativeregions

ELECTORAL GEOGRAPHY ELECTORAL GEOGRAPHY

Political Geography of ElectionsPolitical Geography of Elections

Variation of voting districtsVariation of voting districtsand voting patternsand voting patterns

U.S.congressional

delegationredistricting

Reapportionment :allocating seats toa geographic area

(after every census)

“Gerrymandering”

Redistricting forpartisan purposes

1860 Presidential Vote

Led to Southern secession, Civil War

1996 Presidential Vote

Congressional reapportionment

2004 Presidential Vote

2004 Presidential Vote

2004 Presidential Vote

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

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