Political Geography Lecture Notes PDF

Wollo University Department of Geography and Environmental Studies Political Geography (GeES 2063) By; Bililign D. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 1 Course description  The course introduces students with ...

Wollo University Department of Geography and Environmental Studies Political Geography (GeES 2063) By; Bililign D. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 1 Course description  The course introduces students with  the essence of political geography;  the need for space; state forms; Core Areas and Capitals; 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 2 Course Objectives  Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:  Understand the major concepts and role of political  geography.  Compare and contrast sate, nation and nation state.  Explain size and shapes of states.  Discuss the modern concepts of Core Areas and Capitals  Compare and contrast unitary, federal and regional forms of states.  Understand the concepts of geopolitics. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 3 Course Content Chapter One: Introduction Unit Two: States, Nations, and Nation States Chapter Three: Core Areas and Capitals Chapter Four: Unitary, Federal and Regional States Additional Chapters (Reading Assignments) ❑ Core Areas and Capitals ❑ Frontiers and Boundaries ❑ Resource and Power ❑ Global Strategic Views ❑ International Relation 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 4  Unit one Introduction 1. Geography, politics and Political Geography  Geography as a dynamic and ancient field of study, deals with the study of spatial distribution, relation, interaction, variation, processes, and man- environment relationship of phenomenon  Politics is defined as the process by which groups (communities and nations) make collective decisions to resolve problems facing the group collectively  Politics is partly a conflict resolving process 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 5  Types of politics There are two ways of understanding of politics. ✓ Informal politics : politics is everywhere (office & household politics) ✓ Formal politics: focused on the operation of the constitutional system of government and its publicly defined institutions and procedures  Many of the most pressing political issues are not simply abstract academic concerns  Political subjectivities & identities are bound into space & place 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 6  What is politics ▪ Politics is all about power (or it is the study of power). ▪ Thus, power is fundamental to politics. ▪ Power is the ability, strength, and capacity to enforce political activities in order to achieve certain objectives. ▪ The concept of political power and the ways of using it for the purposes of the State has changed over time. ▪ On this basis, Foucault has distinguished between traditional and the modem societies. ▪ In traditional societies, power was exercised in a conspicuous and visible manner. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 7 ▪ In the modern society, political power of the State is essentially invisible since it flows through the complex relations of everyday life. Political geography (PG) ▪ PG as a cluster of work within the social sciences engages with the multiple intersections of politics and geography, where these two terms are imagined as triangular configurations. ▪ On one side is the triangle of power, politics and policy. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 8  Political Geography ▪ Politics is the whole set of processes that are involved in achieving, exercising and resisting power. ▪ Policy is the intended outcome, the things that power allows one to achieve and that politics is about being in a position to do. ▪ The interaction of these three entities is the concern of political science. ▪ PG is about the interaction of these entities and a second triangle of space, place and territory ▪ In the 2nd triangle, ▪ space (or spatial patterns or spatial relations) is the core commodity of geography. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 9  Political geography Cont’d ▪ Place is a particular point in space, while ▪ territory represents a more formal attempt to define and delimit a portion of space, inscribed with a particular identity and characteristics. ▪ PG recognizes that these six entities are intrinsically linked. ▪ For example, ▪ spatial variations in policy implementation, and ▪ the influence of territorial identity on voting behavior are concerns of PG. Thus, PG is focused on how geography (space) influenced politics and was, in turn, influenced by political 8/15/2022 organization By; Bililign D. and action. 10  Cont’d 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 11  Political geography ▪ Dates only from 1750 when the French philosopher Turgot coined PG to show the re/hips b/n geographic facts, from soils and agriculture to settlement and ethnic distribution, to political organization  In other words, PG was conceived as a branch of knowledge for government and administration, as state knowledge  Political Geography is the study of the organization and distribution of political phenomena in the areal expression. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 12  Political geography ▪ Political geographers have taken a number of different approaches to defining the field of political geography. ▪ To some, PG has been about the study of political territorial units, borders and administrative subdivisions (Regional geography). ▪ For others, PG is the study of political processes. ▪ It differs from political science only: ✓ in the emphasis given to geographical influences and outcomes and ✓ in the application of spatial analysis 8/15/2022 techniques By; Bililign D. (Spatial science). 13  Political geography ▪ Nonetheless, the third (another) approach defined political geography in terms of its key concepts. ▪ Its proponents generally identify territory and the State (territoriality)as key concepts. ▪ Some writers who have sought to define PG in a much open and inclusive manner suggested a fourth approach. ▪ John Agnew, for example, defines PG simply as the study of how politics is informed by geog (Agnew et al, 2003). 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 14  Territory and Territoriality  PG has changed historically, but the theme of borders and orders, power, and resistance are always central to its operation.  Territory and territoriality are the defining concepts of PG.  It means that they bring together the ideas of power and space: territories as spaces that are defended, contested, claimed against the claims of others; in short, through territoriality.  To understand territory and territoriality as opposed to describing what they are about, we need understandings of space relations and politics 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 15  Territory and Territoriality Territory usually refers to sections of space occupied by individuals, social groups or institutions, most typically by the modern state  Territory is a general term used to describe areas of land or sea over which States and other political entities claim to exercise some form of control.  It can be space as small as bed room to as large as a country. In territory,-material elements/dimensions/ such as land, -functional elements like the control of space, and -symbolic dimensions like social identity come together 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 16  Territory and Territoriality ▪ The modern meaning of territory is closely related to the legal concept of sovereignty which implies that there is one final authority in a political community ▪ Territoriality is activity: the activity of defending, controlling, excluding, including territory, which is the area whose content one seeks to control in these ways. ▪ Territoriality is a strategy that human beings employ to control people and things by controlling area. ▪ Territoriality is the attempt by an individual or group to establish control 8/15/2022 By; over Bililign D. a clearly demarcated territory. 17  Territory and Territoriality In other words, it is action based with designs to exercise control over some territory expressed as defense, control, exclusion, and inclusion. It means that in addition to territory having associations of area and boundary, it has one of defenses. In short, territoriality means creating ownership over a defined space. Territoriality- is a primary geographical expression of social power. -is an effective instrument to reify and depersonalize power The formal definition of territoriality not only tells us ✓ what territoriality is, but also suggests 8/15/2022 ✓ what territoriality By; Bililign D. can do. 18  Cont’d This effect is based on three interrelated relationships, which are contained in the definition. 1. Territoriality must involve a form of classification by area (categorization of people and things by location in space) 2. Territoriality is based on communication and particularly significant is the communication of boundaries 3. Territoriality must involve an attempt at enforcing control over access to the area and to things within it or to things outside of it. Territory and territoriality bring together the ideas of power and space. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 19  Cont’d  As geographic concepts, territory and territoriality have their roots in other spatial practice.  In order to understand these concepts in PG we need to come to terms with the central concept of modern political science, the state. The state ▪ is itself an expression of territorial power: ▪ has an area over which it claims jurisdiction, ▪ has boundaries, and ▪ has powers to influence movement and what goes on in any part of its jurisdiction. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 20 Themes of political Geography are therefore:  Territory and territoriality, State, Geopolitics, Nation, Identity and citizenship, Electoral geography and Environment. Forms of territoriality 1.Human Territoriality Human territoriality and other forms of territoriality are different  Human territoriality emphasizes that most portions of space occupied by persons, social groups or states are made into territories in a multitude of social practices and discourses by using 8/15/2022 abstract, culturally laden symbolism.21 By; Bililign D.  The territoriality of states in particular is deeply seated in the (spatial) division of labor:  some actors produce the symbolic & material dimensions of territoriality (e.g. administration, economy, army) using their power as part of the social division of labor, whereas  most people are rather reproducers.  Key actors in the production of territoriality are politicians, military leaders, police, journalists, teachers & cultural activists, for instance.  These actors may mediate b/n activities at diff spatial scales.  Police, military forces, education and media usually effectively combine local scale activities 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 22  Territories as a social constructs  It is more useful to understand territories as : (i) as social processes, which have certain common chxs or (ii) as institutionalization of territories The process during which territorial units emerge as part of the socio-spatial system and become established and identified in social action and social consciousness may be labeled as the institutionalization of territories. This process may be understood through four abstractions that illustrate different aspects of territory formation. These aspects can be distinguished analytically from each other, but in practice they are entirely or partly simultaneous. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 23  Four abstractions that illustrate different aspects of territory formation are: 1. Territorial shape: ▪ The construction of boundaries (physical/symbolic) 2.Symbolic shape (2nd crucial element) which includes: (a) Dynamic, discursively constructed elements (like the process of naming), (b) Fixed symbols such as flags, coats of arms and statues, and (c) Social practices in which these elements come together, such as military parades, flag days, and education 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 24  Cont’d These practices and discourses point to the third crucial element, the institutional shape 3. Institutional shape - refers to institutionalized practices such as administration, politics, economy, culture, communication, and the school system through which boundaries, symbolism and their meanings are produced and reproduced 4. Territories have an identity (Territories may gain an established position in the larger territorial system); i.e. have an identity, narratives that indi’ls & organs operating in the area and outside use to distinguish this territory from others. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 25 2. State Territoriality  Most theories of the state identify  territory as one basic element of the state and  sovereignty is typically related to a bounded territory  The state uses its territorial power in control of its citizens and, those who have not achieved citizenship such as refugees, immigrants, and displaced people.  Territoriality became an institutionalized principle after the turn of the 17th c  The number of states has been continually increasing. ▪ About 50 states existed at the turn of 20th C, and ▪ some 80 in the 1950-60s, 8/15/2022▪ Currently, By; more than 190. Bililign D. 26  Con’d  Almost 120 new states have emerged since WWII as a result of  decolonization (95 states),  federal disintegration (20 states), and  secessionism (2 states)  The ability to exercise sovereign power over a defined area is the hallmark of a state, so laws as its instruments to exercise power are territorial too.  The state has one overwhelming advantage over other territorial entities i.e. the monopoly of force and power.  Several scholars have identified the territorial organization of the state as one precondition of state power. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 27  Territory and identity  Nationalism is territorial in the sense of claiming specific territory  The ideas of the symbolic roles of the national territory changed fundamentally during the 19th C.  A major medium for this change was nationalism, an ideology that slowly emerged in Western Europe during the 18th century and spread elsewhere with colonialism.  The basic factor in nationalism was to transfer group loyalty from kinship to local and other territorial scales. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 28  Territory and identity  In nationalism, the interpretations of ideas of the link b/n land and nation became increasingly important.  Nationalist discourses introduced expressions like ``homeland,'' fatherland, and motherland that included a distinct territorial division between ``us'' and ``the other.'‘  Songs, music, poetry, literature, and national figures are impregnated with territorial meanings.  Territory became one of the key markers of national identity.  It simultaneously changed from a pure commodity to a constituent of the national history, culture, identity, and political order. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 29  Territory and identity  National education became a key institution in the socialization of citizens into national territorial thinking.  Nationalism is territorial in the sense of claiming specific territory  National identity brings together the complex dimensions of nationalism and the national state  This is based on the implicit idea of the link between nation and state (and hence sovereignty). 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 30  The fields of political Geography PG is a varied and wide ranging field of learning and research Six approaches are employed in such studies: 1. The power analysis approach ▪ It is commonly used by non-geographers. ▪ Some of who like to define geography as one of the several power resources in international relations ▪ It divides national power in to five components: geographic, economic, political, sociological and military  The geographic element include location, size and shape of the area, the degree to which land is arable or barren, the effect of climate, and the reservoir of natural resources with which the land is endowed. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 31  cont’d  This is, however, represents a limited geographical approach b/c geographers do not isolate geog as determinant of national power.  While these five categories are all viewed from a spatial framework, geographers also work with space as a sixth and direct category 2. The Historical approach  It generally describes the evolution of a political or social unit through time (It focuses on the past)  People will not look forward to posterity (future generations) who never looks backward to their ancestors” E. Burke. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 32  cont’d 3. The morphological approach  It is the study of form and structure.  It calls for a descriptive and interpretative analysis of the external and internal structure of state areas as a geographic object ▪ The external morphological attributes include size, shape, location and boundaries; and ▪ internal morphological subdivisions include core areas, the capitals, and cultural regions 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 33 4. The Functional approach cont’d  The functional approach is concerned with the functioning of an area as a political unit  Every political unit has subordinate areas of organization, each with its own governmental functions  These subordinate areas must have stronger political associations with the State than with one another or with outside State.  For the State to function properly, it must have unity, homogeneity, coherence and viability as basic requirements for such unity. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 34  cont’d  Viability of the State is related with other States in terms of not only domestic economic relations, but also on economic, strategic and political relations with other States.  Thus, the functional approach would study State strengthening or centralizing forces and State weakening forces as they are related to space. 5.The Behavioral approach Behavior refers to the sequence of interrelated biological and mental operations by which an organization responds to stimuli 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 35  Cont’d There are different types of behavior:  Individual behavior : one man’s behavior  Aggregate behavior includes such types as mass, group, institutional and international behavior  Spatial behavior indicates cases where the various attributes of space enter into behavioral process as salient and independent variables  The perception of and attitude toward foreign countries among political decision makers may well affect foreign policy  Territorial behavior that is the propensity to possess, occupy, and defend a particular portion of space refers to the spatial pattern of behavior, in which each occurrences can be located by geographical coordinates & the resulting pattern can be analyzed. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 36  Cont’d 6. The systematic approach It is derived from general system theory  The essence of general system theory is that it focuses on systems of interrelated objects (person or thing), which ▪ enter the system of framework as an inputs, ▪ exit as outputs, and ▪ interact within it as elements that feed or flow internally.  The emphasis is on the unity or the wholeness of the framework. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 37  Cont’d ▪ Systems, in to which new elements enter and from which elements leave, are open systems, in contrast to the closed ones, which function through the internal generating of energy. ▪ The geopolitical system is advanced as a unit within which the political process interacts with geographical space ▪ Political transactions, structures, and societal forces are the components of the political process ▪ Place, area and landscape are the components of geographical space 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 38  Unit Two States, Nations, and Nation States The state ▪ Definitions of the state are almost as numerous as the author who wrote about it. ▪ A State is a self-governing political entity (body) synonymous with country ▪ It is a political dominant form of political unit. ▪ It has a full control over its internal and external affairs. ▪ The term State can be used interchangeably with country (It is synonymous with country). ▪ In short, it is an independent entity. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 39  The State An independent State has: ▪ space or territory which has internationally recognized boundaries. ▪ people who live there on an ongoing basis (State can’t be functional without people and needs the loyalty of people), ▪ economic activity and an organized economy, ▪ regulate foreign and domestic trade and issues money; ▪ power of social engineering, such as education, a transportation system for moving goods and people, ▪ a government which provides public services and police power, ▪ sovereignty and no other State should have power over the country's territory, and ▪ External recognition. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 40  The State ▪ The state has played various roles in dealing with differences among the peoples living within its borders. ▪ The state is the organization through which the nation maintains its freedom and independence. ▪ It represents political power & authority of the relevant civil association ▪ To be a State, an area/place should fulfill or have: Land (territory) demarcated, Permanently residing population or human resource, Government as administration system, Organized, viable and sound economy, and; Circulation system of interactions of goods, ideas, passengers, transportation of all kinds and etc. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 41  The State There are also political criterions for a place to be a State. These are: ▪ Sovereignty or power over people of the area free from any external control, ▪ External recognition or having international communication, personality, territorial base Other characteristics of the state include the presence of: ▪ a military, ▪ a bureaucratic level stratification, ▪ an emphasis on technology and trade (specifically control over production and distribution), and ▪ an institutionalized religion. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 42  Cont’d  There are two central ideas in the modern concept of State. These are: (a) it is centralized power created to overawe all other powers within its territory, which is exercised through secular agencies like the bureaucracy, the judiciary and the army (b) The power and organization of the State is founded on mutual consent-on an active inter-relationship between those who direct it and those who are subject to it. ▪ Thus, the State becomes a kind of civil association, and the government of the State is transformed into an instrument of society 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 43  Cont’d ▪ Political theorists, define the state as a human association having five essential elements: population, territory, government, sovereignty and recognition. ▪ While the first two elements are taken as its physical elements, the rest are considered as the spiritual or metaphysical elements. Let us now look in to two elements of the state. ❑ Government:  is the soul of the state.  implements the will of the community.  protects the people against conditions of insecurity.  maintains law and order and makes good life possible.  is the machinery that terminates the condition of anarchy. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 44  Cont’d ▪ It is universally recognized that as long as there are diverse interests in society, some mechanism is needed to bring about and maintain a workable arrangement to keep the people together. ▪ The government of a state should be so organized that to enforces law in order to maintain the conditions of peace and security. ▪ If there is no gov’t, there is anarchy and the state is at an end. ❑ Sovereignty  It is the highest power of the state that distinguishes it from all other associations of human beings.  Sovereignty is the principle of absolute and unlimited power. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 45  Cont’d It has two aspects Internal and External.  Internal Sovereignty implies that inside the State there can be no other authority that may claim equality with it. o The State is the final source of all laws internally.  External sovereignty implies that the State should be free from foreign control of any kind.  The existence of sovereign authority appears in the form of law.  It is for this reason that the law of the state is binding on all and its violation is resulted with suitable punishment.  It is universally accepted that a sovereign state is legally competent to issue any command that is binding on all citizens & their associations. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 46  Geographic Characteristics of States  State is a fundamental subject matter of Political Geography. ▪ F. Ratzel developed the Organic State Theory (1884-1904).  Every state can be distinguished from other states by its geographic characteristics.  These include:  Size,  Shape, and  Location. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 47  Location of States Absolute and relative location. A. Relative location 1.Location of States with respect to land and water bodies ▪ It is the fundamental thought behind the Heartland theory which may be seen as a special, period bound, example of politico-geographical interpretations of continental and oceanic relationships, tested by history, time and again. ▪ A landlocked position may provide a nation engaged in war with the advantage of ‘inner line’ which can be exploited 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 48  Location of States ▪ The most far-reaching disadvantage of landlocked countries is that it occupies an isolated position from the other world with respect to trade and commerce; fishing grounds etc. b/c it has limited access to the sea 2. Location of States with respect to other States ▪ This is referred as vicinal location, relative location, and central vs. peripheral location ▪ Being a neighbor with a State having nearly equal power potential or a weak power is advantageous since there are few chances of adverse pressure on international frontiers and friendly relationship can be maintained 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 49  Cont’d ▪ When countries, which are unlike in size or big and small lie adjacent to each other; the larger and powerful may dominate the smaller State ▪ Example: Poland is situated b/n Germany, Russia and Austro-Hungary. ▪ This endangered the sovereignty of Poland & Polish nations and had remained sovereign political unit for few years. Strategic Location of States  Strategic location is a location that gives to its holder a decisive advantage military, politically or economically over its opponents 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 50  Cont’d  A very high degree of strategic importance is given to narrow oceanic straits on important highways of commerce such as ▪ the Strait of Gibraltar, and Turkish straits of Dardanelles and Bosporus (natural), ▪ Suez Canal, and Panama Canal (narrow land bridges through which canals are dug to facilitate direct navigation-man made)  Buffer states: deliberately created or maintained States for the purpose of separating two other countries  Buffer states are small political units located between large nations. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 51  Cont’d  They survive because although the buffer states are weak to resist invention and easily conquered, they separate powerful neighbor States that an attempt to conquer them would be met by the much stronger opposition of the other large neighbor.  Thus, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg have survived as buffer between France and Germany;  Poland and the ex-Czechoslovakia, and Rumania, as Buffer between Central Europe and the ex-Soviet Union 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 52  Size of States  The sovereign states in the world today range in size from the smallest the Vatican City State with an area of 44 hectares, to Russia with an area of 16,889,390km2.  Generally, states  exceeding 2.5 million km2 are described as very large,  Those over 350,000 but less than 2.5 million km2 are referred to as large  medium-sized states from 150,000 to 350,000 km2.  Small states range from 25,000 to 150,000 km2 -and  those under 25,000 km2 are referred to as very small 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 53  Size of States  Very small Burundi Lebanon  Small Netherlands Liberia  Medium United Kingdom Poland  Large France Ethiopia  Very large Russia Canada 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 54  Cont’d  Other things being equal, the larger the State is in size (area), the greater are its chances of:  supporting its larger population and  possessing a diversified resource base -the two most important elements in political and economic development (advantage) Bigger States in this regard may have diverse climate, soil, vegetation, and mineral resources that can be utilized at any time, enables the country to have diversified potential resources Other advantage is that retreating to trade space for time to win war by building ammunition, train new troops, and prepare a counter-offensive and enables to have sufficient areas remote from enemy base and enemy air attack. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 55  Cont’d But, this cannot be always true. Example: Oil endowed Middle East countries have larger size but not endowed with diversified resources.  Bigger countries may also have the following disadvantages 1) Difficult to maintain national cohesion 2) Longer distance from the center to the periphery may complicate physical, social, political & economic problems, (3) Security and defense difficulty or enemy invasion, (4) Fissiparous and separatist movements may emerge in the border areas 5) Ineffective transport and communication development as a fifth disadvantage for bigger Cs in ancient times and even today (in the relatively underdeveloped economies). 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 56  Shape of States  Shape may be significant both for-defense and - internal administration.  It has a significant effect on State functioning.  Shape of a State ranges from geometric to irregular.  A shape of State has social, economic and political impact on the State.  Compact, Elongated, Prorupted, Fragmented, and Perforated sates 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 57  Cont’d 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 58  Compact State  A state possessing a roughly circular, oval, square or rectangular territory in which the distance from the geometric center to any point on the boundary exhibits little variance (e.g. Cambodia, Uruguay, Poland).  For internal political cohesion, a circular shape with the capital in the center should prove to be of the greatest advantage. Compact shape of States has the following advantages. (1) has short boundary, (2) has no peninsula, and high lands, (3) ease of effective control (4) ease in binding the State’s center and periphery in to a coherent spatial entity. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 59  Elongated State  A state whose territory is decidedly long and narrow in that its length is at least six times greater than its average width (example Chile, Vietnam, Italy and Norway).  Elongated shape of a State besides adding to difficulties in communication also increases the length of the international boundary ▪ Such shapes are disadvantageous because they pose dichotomy, and are exposed so much. ▪ Example: North is considered as European Italy while south Italy is considered by Italians themselves as underdeveloped. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 60  Prorupt State  A state exhibiting a narrow, elongated land extension leading away from the main body of territory (e.g. Thailand).  Prorupt States are also those which are compact, but have peninsula and corridor which can be the point of conflict.  Example: Zaire. Kinshasa is found in the western part while Shaba province rich an economically backbone is found in the southern portion. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 61  Fragmented State  A state whose territory consists of several separated parts, not a contiguous whole.  The individual parts may be isolated from each other by the land area of other states or by international waters.  Fragmented State is again a non-contiguous or having no common borders. Eg former Pakistan  It is consisted of two or more individual parts i.e. internal water.  Such states are disadvantageous in that they are detached; force the government to leave the capital and makes government control ineffective. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 62  Cont’d Perforated State  A state whose territory completely surrounds that of another state (e.g. South Africa as it surrounds Lesotho and Italy as it also surrounds Vatican city ). Enclave: A piece of territory that is surrounded by another political unit of which it is not a part. Eg Cabinda of Angola 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 63 Nation  The term nation signifies the existence of a common political consciousness of a nationality, that is the form of corporate sentiment of peculiar intensity, intimacy and dignity related to a definite home country. ’ ◼ A group of people who share common cultural traits and are unified based on those traits (language, ethnicity, religion, etc.) ◼ National boundaries can surpass political (or state) boundaries. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 64  Nationality Nationality is a collective name given to that complex of psychological and cultural factors that furnish the cohesive principle uniting a nation. Nationality is a sentiment of oneness that unites the people of a particular kind and thus differentiates them from others who do not share similar feelings and sentiments The word nationality is used in three different senses. 1. It refers to the legal status of citizenship of a particular state (one’s nationality may be Ethiopian or Sudanese) 2. Nationality means a group of people having their distinct identity with in a particular nation. Eg Tigriyans, Amharas, Oromos 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 65  Cont’d 3. Nationality signifies a particular kind of feelings and sentiments that bind a people and differentiate them from the people of other nationalities. Nationalism is a state or a condition of mind characteristic of certain peoples with a homogeneous culture, living together in close association in a given territory, and sharing a belief in a distinctive existence and a common destiny. Nation, Nationality and Nationalism The followings are the instruments of national cohesion. A. Common territory 8/15/2022 B. Nationalism By; Bililign D. 66  Cont’d ▪ Nationalism has been identified with love for the motherland or patriotism ▪ Nationalism is the political expression of nationhood ▪ The nation-State is the politico-geographical expression of nationalism. ▪ Nationalism is a desire to attain self culture, language, religion, and political status. ▪ Such people may have common factors that cement them together such as: descent, language, territory, entity, customs traditions. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 67  Cont’d ▪ Nationalism gives a sense of identity to individuals, but unlike national cultural integration, it tends to emphasize unique characteristics of a group ▪ The means through which nationalism works are heavily dependent upon emotion, belief and action. ▪ The civil war between the two major groups that inhabit Sri Lanka has been promoted by one group seizing control of the gov’t and fostering its interests at the expense of the other. ▪8/15/2022 The end result of nationalism By; Bililign D. will be nation-state formation. 68  Nation-state and Nation-building  Nation-State implies when the territory or a state is occupied by only one distinct nation or people. ▪ In that case, there are no important minority groups. ✓ Japan, Poland, Portuguese and Denmark are examples of nation states. ▪ Such an arrangement - minimizes conflicts, and - makes for strong states.  Nation-states are states that share the same nationality throughout the entire political boundary 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 69  Cont’d  When nations of people have a State or country of their own, it is called a nation-state.  There are some States which have two nations, such as Canada and Belgium.  Even with its multicultural society, United States is also referred to as a nation-state because of the shared American culture  The nation-building may be viewed as the process and the devices through which the sentiment of loyalty to the nation-State is fostered, and fissiparous and divisive tendencies are pacified 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. and eliminated 70  Cont’d  Nation-building (political and national integration in the context of nation- State) refers essentially to the process of bringing culturally and socially discrete groups in to an organic (i.e., fully functioning) system and establishment of a strong national identity inseparably bound with the territory of this system There are four important aspects of this process. 1) progressive dev’t among the constituent political communities of a deep & unambiguous sense of identity with the State & its ideals (2) broadening and intensification of social communication among the constituent communities and regions; 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 71  Cont’d (3) elimination of narrow (local cast and community based) social, economic, and psychological commitments with a view to preparing the people for new countrywide patterns of socialization and behavior; (4) improvement of transport facilities by minimizing physical distances and thereby facilitating greater flow of goods and services between the different regions of the State. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 72  Forces in nation state formation  There are two major forces in nation state formation. i. Centripetal forces:  The unifying factors such as language, history, values and religion that give people a shared, positive vision of what there is all about play the role of binding a country together ii. Centrifugal forces: ▪These forces are the once that play weakening role against government power  These are size, shape, and difficulty in communication/ transportation the presence of more than one religion and language. political and economic inequalities 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 73  The instruments of national cohesion A. Schools  Common language promotion, history, civic and ethical education, success, heroism and, geographical knowledge are imparted. B. Military; responsible to keep the sovereignty, peace and stability of the State and its nations C. Communication: information dissemination throughout the country. It affects State interaction. D. Media E. Religious organizations 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 74  Frontiers and Boundaries Cont’d Boundaries: defines the spatial extent of the state The study of boundaries has re-emerged as a strong theme during the 1990s There has been a renewed interest in the hard territorial lines which are constantly being redrawn and re- demarcated between states Political geography has been concerned with the study of international boundaries, 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 75  Boundary Typologies  Hartshorne's in the 1930s used terms such as "primary," "antecedent," and "subsequent" boundaries, to distinguish between boundaries  Of particular importance to the contemporary discussion of decolonization and post colonialism was the classification of the superimposed boundary, the lines that had been drawn up by the colonial powers in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th century. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 76  Cont’d Generally, we have three experiences with regard to boundary types. These are: 1. Ethnic/Cultural Boundaries: this conforms to the borders between traditional ethnic homelands or borders between culture groups. It is commonly used as boundaries between civil divisions than between States. This type of boundary is difficult to define and prone to change, and thus problematical as State boundaries due to lack of certitude (lack of certainty). 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 77  Cont’d 2. Physiographic/Natural boundaries: These types of boundaries correspond to a component of the physical environment such as: coastlines, rivers, lakes, mountain ranges, ridge lines, and watersheds. This boundary however is very difficult as the physical environment may not always be permanent or easy to define and/or demarcate. 3. Geometric Boundaries: They are straight lines drawn to reflect areal limits based on Latitude and Longitude lines These boundaries are certainly manmade. Sometimes they 8/15/2022 coincide By; Bililign D. with a natural boundary 78  Other ways to Classify Boundaries Boundaries can be classified based on the status of demarcation and the way trans-border movement is happening. They are Natural, Soft, and Hard.  Natural: No evidence of demarcation between the territories though there might be a clear agreement between them. =There is no human alteration of the landscape that indicates the presence of a border.  Soft: Demarcations exist in the form of signs, markers; a clear area cut through a forest but does not impede trans- border movement.  Hard: Demarcations exit in the form of physical barriers (e.g., walls, fences, gates, barbed wire, land mines) to trans-border movt 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 79  Cont’d We can also distinguish between stable and unstable boundaries. Stable boundaries, such as between Spain and France, have a long history of permanence. Unstable boundaries exist in places of rapid geopolitical change. o The constant boundary changes between Israel and surrounding areas is unusually unstable How boundary changes reflect and embody the changing relations between 8/15/2022 states. By; Bililign D. 80  The process of boundary making The basic processes of the boundary formation are:  Definition: formal agreement/treaties/ (preferably in writing) b/n the parties concerning where a boundary should be.  Delimitation: plotting the definition on maps (which ideally are detailed, accurate and alike) to facilitate actual location of the boundary.  Demarcation: placing physical marks on the earth/ground/ to show a boundary’s precise location.  Administration; establishment of processes between the parties to maintain 8/15/2022 By; Bililignthe D. boundary 81  Boundary Disputes ❖ Disputes over boundaries may arise of different reasons ❖ Any analysis of boundary dispute should provide information on the following aspects 1. the causes of the disputes: the boundary’s history 2. identify the trigger actions that created a situation 3. understand the aims for governments to initiate boundary dispute: seek additional territory The world has experienced different boundary disputes among its member states. These disputes can be grouped into definitional, locational, operational, 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. allocational and Non-consentual 82  Definitional Boundary Disputes: Cont’d They are disputes caused when treaty language causes confusion, or when a condition, intrinsic to the definition of an established boundary, changes Locational Boundary Disputes: The disagreement is happened b/c exact location of a boundary on the ground is unmatched with the map one b/c of controversies over interpretation of terms used in defining boundaries Operational Boundary Dispute: In here, disagreements occur over how a boundary should function, or over the maintenance of a boundary 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 83  Cont’d Allocational Dispute: Disagreement occurs regarding resource use within a boundary area. Examples are the Iraq/Kuwait dispute over Rumeila oil field; and the US/Canada dispute over fishing limits in the Atlantic Non-consensual Boundary Dispute: This dispute occurs over a boundary that was imposed on a State without its consent, and is thus perceived to be illegitimate Numerous examples of former colonies whose nationals had no say in the creation of its borders, and grievances are resulting from post-war boundary adjustments 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 84  The "Borderless" World The impact of globalization is associated with notions relating to the end of the nation-state view and, by association, notions of a deterritorialized and borderless world Corporate markets, multinational firms, and global political associations such as the EU, NATO and/or the UN. It is a discourse which has emerged from the Western experience Frontiers: is a zone of contact between two entities or social systems. It should be distinguished from boundary which implies 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 85 more or less strict territorial limits.  CHAPTER THREE 3. CORE AREAS AND CAPITALS Core : “the area in which or about which a state originates.” ▪ Core is the area with the greatest economic and/or political importance/dominance Core areas may be classified in several ways. These are: i. Based on historical development: the case in which a small territory grows into a larger state, perhaps over a period of centuries into a nuclear core. ii. Based on the bases of function  states with distinct core areas such as France and Russia  those with peripheral core areas, Portugal  those without distinct core areas, such as Albania & Belgium 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 86  Cont’d iii. Based on spatial considerations  Centrally located core area, such as in France & South Africa  Marginally located in the national territory. ✓ Such as in Brazil, Argentina and many other states ▪ There are also recognized multi-core, single core, and no- core states. Nigeria, for example, has three core areas ▪ Ecuador has two core areas ▪ Thailand has a single core area ▪ Mauritania and Chad have no core units 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 87  The core Area of Today  The principal institutions of economic, political and social life of the nation  Many of these activities are carried on in the national capital and occasionally one finds them shared b/n neighboring cities  Such core areas are very much larger in both area and population than the capital cities themselves.  They contain satellite towns and are distinguished by industries, which are attracted toward but not necessarily into the capital By; 8/15/2022 itself Bililign D. 88  Capital  Capitals have often evolved as centers of trade and government because of their fortuitous situation  It is destined to embody and exemplify the nature of the core area of the state and is a reflection of its wealth, organization and power.  Some countries have invested heavily in the creation of wholly new capitals that are constructed with specific aims  Brasilia was built at a tremendous expense in large part of to draw Brazilian attention toward the interior.  Here the functions of the capital, long performed by Rio de Janeiro, were taken out of the core area and placed elsewhere 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 89  Functions and Types  Capital cities perform certain distinct functions: ▪place for legislative gatherings (i) and ▪ the residence of the chief of state (ii). ▪ It is the prime place for the state’s reception of external influences, for embassies and international trade organization offices (iii). ▪ Capitals cities must also act as binding agents (iv) ▪ Capital cities must also be a source of power and authority, (v) either ▪ to ensure control over outlying & loosely tied districts of the State or ▪ to defend the state against undesirable external influences. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 90  Types of capitals 1. Permanent Capitals: ▪ Permanent capitals might also be called historic capitals. ▪ They have functioned as the leading economic and cultural centre for their state over a period of several centuries. ▪ Examples are Athens, London, Paris, and Rome. 2. Introduced capitals: They replaced other capitals in order to perform new functions 3. Divided capitals: in certain states the functions of gov’ts are not concentrated in one city, but divided among two or even more Ex: In the Netherlands ▪ the parliament sits in The Hague (the legislative capital), but ▪ the royal palace is in Amsterdam (the “official” capital) 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 91  The Primate City  It is a city which is: ✓ disproportionately large and ✓ exceptionally expressive of national capacity and feeling  In many Cs the largest city is the capital, but this need not be so  Although, the status of national capital automatically confers political power on a city, but other cities by virtue of their sizes, wealth, and concentration of influential people can alsoBy;be 8/15/2022 politically Bililign D. powerful. 92  CHAPTER FOUR 4. Unitary, Federal and Regional States The unitary states  Unitary form of state structure is a form of state structure that is chiefly characterized by centralization of power and indivisible sovereignty  The central government is legally supreme over regional or local governments.  In unitary state, there is only one source of authority and that is the central government.  Local governments enjoy no autonomy, their position is like that of subordinate 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. governments 93  Basic characteristics of a unitary state. 1. Supremacy of the Central Government 2. Absence of Subsidiary Sovereign Bodies ▪ the regional or local territorial units/subsidiary bodies are not sovereign 3. Local units/sub-national units are created or abolished by the center at will ▪ Though unitary structure may essentially show some common features within the unitary states, there are still great differences among them in the institutions and procedures through which their central government interact with their territorial subunits or localities 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 94 ▪ Therefore, the difference among unitary states can be Cont’d categorized in to three types of practices and procedures. These are : a) In one type of unitary systems, decentralization of power among sub-national units goes so far in practice, although not constitutional principles b) A second type of unitary system makes substantially less provision for territorial decentralization of authority and employs rather strict procedures for the central supervision to locally elected units. c) A third type of unitary system provides only symbolic or nominal decentralization. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 95  The Federal States ▪ The word federal is derived from the word league and implies alliance, contract and the coexistence of the state’s diverse regions and peoples. ▪ Federal form of state structure is a form of state structure whereby power is formally/constitutionally divided between the federal/central/national government and sub- national/ regional/ provincial governments, each of which is locally supreme in its own sphere. 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 96  Features of Federalism Two Relatively Autonomous Levels of Governments ▪ Federal/central and regional governments The Existence of Written Constitution ▪ Relationship conducted within a formal legal framework Supremacy of the central/Federal Authority In most federal systems, the central government is superior and supreme over the regional governments in conducting key issues and activities of the country. At the same time, the federal constitution is also supreme over constitutions of the regional governments 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 97  Cont’d Constitutional Arbiter: In all federations, the formal provisions of the constitution are interpreted by a body or institution empowered by the constitution Linking Institutions: In order to foster cooperation and understanding between the federal and regional governments, the regions and provinces must be given a voice in the processes of central policymaking. o This is usually achieved through a bicameral (two houses) legislature in which the second house represents the interest of the 8/15/2022 regional By; Bililign D. states. 98  Power Distribution in Federal Systems Exclusive Powers: are powers and responsibility that are exclusively vested to the central or federal government These are powers such as printing and circulating currency, establish and maintain the defense, conducting foreign affairs Concurrent Powers: are powers and responsibilities that are commonly shared b/n the federal gov’t & state gov’ts such as social sectors, planning, transport and communication, internal security, finance and the like Reserved Powers: powers refer to the powers and responsibilities that are reserved to the federal government or 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 99 to the state governments Wrap up! ❑What did you learn from this course? ❑How did you correlate concepts from this course to our country case? Discuss in group for 5 minutes and reflect to the classroom! 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 100  Thank You! 8/15/2022 By; Bililign D. 101