Political Geography

Centripetal Forces Centrifugal Forces Internal Territorial Disputes Migration Refugees

State Cohesiveness

Centripetal Forces - Forces that bind together the people of a state, strengthens the state

Centrifugal Forces - Forces that destabilize a state, weakens a state

Centripetal Forces

Nationalism -allegiance to one’s country. Promoted by iconography.

Unifying institutions - schools, armed forces, religion

Organization & Administration - governments. Canberra, Australia (left)

Transportation & Communication - in large countries important eg.TCH

Centrifugal Forces

Nationalism - most powerful of any force eg.Basque separatists and others wanting self rule in Europe

Size and Shape of state - isolation for some parts. Transportation & communication problems

Fragmented states have the greatest challenges.

Disputes over resources and wealth esp in large states like Canada & Russia

Territorial claims/boundary disputes

Internal Territorial Disputes

Rwanda

Tutsis gained favour under Belgian rule after WWI, then Hutu tribe gained it

animosities increased after 1962 (independence)

civil war in 1994, Hutus driven out into DRC. Over 1,000,000 refugees fled, many now repatriated.

Important vocabulary forCentrifugal Forces

Nationalismmultinational stateunassimilated minoritiesracial or ethnic conflictcontrasting culturesmultiple languages or religionsSubnationalismregionalism and self determinationdevolutionethnic cleansingperipheral locationsSocial and economic inequality

Migration

Immigration - movement of people into an area

Emigration - movement out of an area

Significant numbers of immigrants can act as a centrifugal force within a state, esp when they are of a different ethnic group/culture.

France

Since 1850 - high immigration for jobs in industry, low birth rate

Post WWII, most immigrants into France from former colonies & protectorates in Africa and SE. Asia

Immigrants from the Magreb (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria) recently met hostilities

Muslim and Arab Political right-wing parties

formally anti-immigration now.

Migration

Refugees

Persons outside their state who cannot return for fear of persecution: race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership in a group

10,000,000 est in 2003 by UN

4,500,000 IDP (Internally Displaced Persons)

Need for refugee camps, esp in neighbouring states (DRC, Iran, Pakistan) strains on these states of “asylum”.