9: Political Geography
- Page ID
- 382124
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Understand: how political space is organized.
- Explain: how states cooperate in military and economic alliances.
- Describe: the various types of boundaries and how boundary disputes develop.
- Connect: the electoral process in the United States to ethnic, urban/ rural, and regional affiliations.
- 9.1: Introduction
- This page explores the depth of political geography beyond mere memorization of locations, highlighting its focus on military and economic alliances, international boundaries, and issues like terrorism and civil-military conflicts. It emphasizes the representation of political dynamics in spatial terms and the intricate connections between geography and politics.
- 9.2: How Political Space Is Organized
- This page explores the state as the primary political unit, highlighting the distinction between states and subnational entities, with 196 states currently recognized. It discusses the differences between nation-states and multinational states, factors influencing state unity like centripetal and centrifugal forces, and the impact of state shape and compactness on governance and stability.
- 9.3: Cooperation Between States
- This page discusses how states create military and economic alliances to strengthen security and trade, often at the cost of some sovereignty. It highlights the role of the United Nations in peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts, and mentions military alliances like NATO that address threats from groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda.
- 9.4: Boundaries and Boundary Disputes
- This page explores the importance of boundaries in state relations, noting their role in fostering solidarity and averting conflict. It classifies boundaries into physical, geometric, and ethnic types, exemplified by the Rio Grande and ethnic divisions in Africa. The content emphasizes that misaligned boundaries can result in disputes and tensions, as evidenced by situations in Ukraine and Somalia, highlighting the intricate relationship between boundaries and political dynamics.
- 9.5: The Electoral Process
- This page covers gerrymandering, the legal but often contentious practice of redistricting for political advantage, particularly when it discriminates against minorities, as seen in a 2015 Georgia lawsuit. It also analyzes presidential elections, emphasizing the Electoral College's spatial dynamics and regional voting behaviors, with Democratic leanings in urban areas and Republican preferences in rural regions.
- 9.6: Key Terms Defined
- This page provides an overview of political geography, focusing on state boundaries and configurations. It defines boundary types and discusses the factors influencing state integrity, such as centripetal and centrifugal forces. Additionally, it delves into practices like gerrymandering and irredentism, clarifies key terms like "nation," "nation-state," and "stateless nation," and examines supranational organizations and the impact of terrorism on political dynamics.
- 9.7: Works Consulted and Further Reading
- This page presents a compilation of scholarly texts on political geography, focusing on the interplay between power, prosperity, and socioeconomic factors influencing nations. It features works from authors such as Acemoglu and Robinson on national wealth origins, along with Frost's poetic insights.