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Questions and Answers
What does sovereignty refer to in the context of political geography?
What does sovereignty refer to in the context of political geography?
- Control over international trade agreements
- The presence of diverse political ideologies
- The authority to govern local affairs
- Supreme political authority of a governing entity (correct)
Territoriality implies that borders separate those inside from those outside.
Territoriality implies that borders separate those inside from those outside.
True (A)
What is the primary function of a state according to the political geography content?
What is the primary function of a state according to the political geography content?
To organize into a political unit and control its internal and foreign affairs.
The __________ is the exercise of state power recognized by other states and codified by international law.
The __________ is the exercise of state power recognized by other states and codified by international law.
Match the following concepts with their descriptions:
Match the following concepts with their descriptions:
What is a key characteristic of a state?
What is a key characteristic of a state?
The terms 'country' and 'nation' are entirely synonymous with 'state'.
The terms 'country' and 'nation' are entirely synonymous with 'state'.
Who adapted several constitutional forms from Plato?
Who adapted several constitutional forms from Plato?
An empire consists of a group of states ruled by a single _____ authority.
An empire consists of a group of states ruled by a single _____ authority.
Match the following ancient entities with their characteristics:
Match the following ancient entities with their characteristics:
Which of the following best describes city-states?
Which of the following best describes city-states?
Colonialism involves the establishment of settlements by one country in another territory.
Colonialism involves the establishment of settlements by one country in another territory.
What are two historical empires mentioned?
What are two historical empires mentioned?
What was one of the primary motivations behind European colonialism?
What was one of the primary motivations behind European colonialism?
Colonialism involves controlling previously inhabited and organized societies.
Colonialism involves controlling previously inhabited and organized societies.
What year did the Canadian Citizenship Act come into effect?
What year did the Canadian Citizenship Act come into effect?
Canada was declared to be of equal status with the UK within the Commonwealth in 1965.
Canada was declared to be of equal status with the UK within the Commonwealth in 1965.
What is the main difference between ethnicity and nationality?
What is the main difference between ethnicity and nationality?
A _____ is an area where no state exercises complete political control.
A _____ is an area where no state exercises complete political control.
Name one of the four new UN members that had a population of less than 100,000.
Name one of the four new UN members that had a population of less than 100,000.
More than 20% of the UN General Assembly vote is controlled by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), which includes countries like ______ and ______.
More than 20% of the UN General Assembly vote is controlled by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), which includes countries like ______ and ______.
Match the following events with the type of manipulation they represent:
Match the following events with the type of manipulation they represent:
Match the following countries with their status in the UN.
Match the following countries with their status in the UN.
Which of the following statements about Canadian citizenship is true?
Which of the following statements about Canadian citizenship is true?
Centrifugal forces serve to integrate a state.
Centrifugal forces serve to integrate a state.
How many UN member states are generally considered sovereign or independent?
How many UN member states are generally considered sovereign or independent?
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Study Notes
Power in the Governmental Machine of the West
- Power over: the sovereign has absolute rule and control over life and death
- Power to: institutions indirectly govern by influencing subjects' behaviour and political rationalities
Geopolitical Concepts
- Political geography is the study of the spatial organization of political power
- Territory: a space or place claimed and controlled by a political entity, often marked by boundaries
- State: a political unit with defined territory, permanent population, and recognized sovereignty
- Sovereignty: the state's independent exercise of power over its territory and people
Origins of the State
- Aristotle: defined politics as concerning the city-state (polis), a small and cohesive unit where political, religious, and cultural aspects were intertwined
- City-states: the early form of states, with distinct features like defensive walls, public spaces, and a concentration of population in the city
- Empires: emerged after the decline of city-states, characterized by a single ruler controlling multiple states or territories
- Colonialism: European states established control over territories for religious expansion, resource exploitation, and power projection
Nationality and Nation-States
- Nationality: legal attachment and personal allegiance to a specific country
- Nation: a group of people connected to a place through legal status and shared cultural traditions
- Citizenship: legal recognition of membership in a country, not based on cultural factors
- Nation-states: states that are formed by a single nation within a defined territory
Territorial and Ethnic Manipulation
- Examples of territorial manipulation: Czechoslovakia split into Czech Republic and Slovakia (1993), Germany's territorial expansion during World War II (1939-45)
- Examples of ethnic manipulation: Rwandan genocide (1994), Yugoslav conflict (1991)
Boundaries and Frontiers
- Frontier: a zone where no state exercises complete control, often sparsely populated or uninhabited
- Boundary: a theoretical line separating the territory of two states
Problems in Defining States
- The UN recognizes 208 states, including 195 member states, 2 observer states, and 13 other states
- Challenges exist in defining statehood, particularly regarding size and population
Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces
- Centripetal forces: factors that unify and integrate a state
- Centrifugal forces: factors that can lead to a state's disintegration
Canadian Citizenship
- Canada became a dominion of the British Empire in 1867
- While Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1931, Canadians remained British subjects until 1947
- Canadians were granted citizenship in 1947, marking Canada's equal status with the United Kingdom within the Commonwealth
- The 1965 Canadian flag further cemented Canada's national identity
UN Representation and Statehood
- Small states with populations under a million face challenges in political representation
- The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) holds significant voting power within the UN General Assembly, highlighting the diverse political considerations in statehood
Key Figures and Dates
- 1867: Canada becomes a dominion
- 1931: Statute of Westminster grants British dominions autonomy
- 1947: Canadian Citizenship Act establishes Canadian citizenship
- 1965: Canadian flag adopted
- 1993: Czechoslovakia splits into Czech Republic and Slovakia
- 1994: Rwandan genocide
- 1991: Yugoslav conflict
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