Unit 4

IV. Political Organization of Space . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13–17% 

A. Territorial dimensions of politics 

            1. The concepts of political power and territoriality   

            2. The nature, meaning, and function of boundaries 

            3. Influences of boundaries on identity, interaction, and exchange 

            4. Federal and unitary states, confederations, centralized government, and forms of governance 

            5. Spatial relationships between political systems and patterns of ethnicity, economy, and gender 

            6. Political ecology: impacts of law and policy on the environment and environmental justice 

B. Evolution of the contemporary political pattern 

            1. The nation-state concept 

            2. Colonialism and imperialism 

            3. Democratization 

            4. Fall of communism and legacy of the Cold War 

            5. Patterns of local, regional, and metropolitan governance 

C. Changes and challenges to political-territorial arrangements 

            1. Changing nature of sovereignty 

            2. Fragmentation, unification, and cooperation 

            3. Supranationalism and international alliances 

            4. Devolution of countries

            5. Electoral geography: redistricting & gerrymandering 

            6. Armed conflicts, war, and terrorism 

IF YOU ONLY LEARN 7 THINGS IN THIS UNIT...

1. A nation is a group of people with common cultural characteristics, whereas a state is an area with defined boundaries that has sovereignty within its borders. A nation-state is a country whose political boundaries correspond with its cultural boundaries.

2. The heartland theory established by Halford MacKinder suggests that whoever owns the Heartland of Eastern Europe will control the world. The rimland theory developed by Nicholas Spykman suggests that sea power is more valuable and alliances will keep the heartland in check. The domino theory, a response to the spread of communism, suggested that when one country falls, others around it will experience the same political instability.

3. Colonialism has had a profound impact on the world today. The major colonial powers were Great Britian, Portugal, Spain, and France.

4. Ethnicity is determined by race, skin color, language, religion, and other factors. Race is different from ethnicity and is determined by perceived inheritable biological characteristics.

5. There are five shapes to countries: compact, elongated, fragmented, perforated, and prorupted. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

6. Supranational organizations, such as the European Union and the United Nations, have a strong influence on the world's political climate.

7. Boundary disputes arise for various reasons. Some arise from the demarcation of a boundary, while others arise from the allocation of resources along the border. Inappropriate boundary lines in Africa led to wars from the moment they were drawn, because European countries used geometric and physical features to establish boundaries in Africa instead of cultural features, such as language and religion.

1. Identify and Explain the Concepts of a State. Origin and diffusion of the Modern State.

2. Examples of Nation, State, Stateless Nation, Nation-State, Multi-Nation State, Multi-Ethnic State, Multi-State Nation.

3. Explain the struggle for the formation of the modern state.  Identify key areas of conflict for State sovereignty and the forces that attribute to this phenomenon.

4. Explain the factors that have led to the formation of new states post 1950. (Specifically in Europe and Africa).

5. State Shapes (Examples for each).  Advantages and Disadvantages. Also know the following terms; landlocked state, enclave, and exclave.

6. Borders/Boundaries.  Factors that lead to the Formation of Borders.

7. Types of boundaries: physical, geometric, superimposed, relic,etc. Example for each types of boundary.

8. Different types of boundary disputes. Example for each. 

9. Frontiers and Buffer Zones. Examples and description of why they are created/determined.

10. Organization of Governments Federal/Unitary.Example. 

11. Examples of Centripetal and Centrifugal forces. Explain how these factors lead to stability and instability in States.

12. The struggle of self-determination and Stateless nations.  Give examples and explain areas that have been successful and areas that have not.

13. Define Supranationalism. Examples of Supranationalistic Organizations. Explain the increase in supranationalism’s affect on State Sovereignty. What country has been trying to get into the EU but has been left out due to location and culture not being "European enough?"

14. Define Devolution.  Examples of the types of Devolution. Explain how Devolution affects the State.  Explain what factors lead to devolution in most states, give examples.

15. Define Balkanization. Give examples of areas affected by Balkanization.  Explain the affects of Balkanization on groups within a state. Explain what effect Balkanization has played on the formation of States in the 20th Century.

16. Understand the different Geopolitical theories discussed in class.  Give an example of where they were used to dictate a state’s Foreign Policy.

17. Define Gerrymandering.  Explain how this affects party politics. Define Minority-Majority.

18. Explain the World Systems Theory. Where is most of the Core located? Provide examples of countries in each of the core, periphery, and semi-periphery.