Conflicts Over Space

1. Conflicts Over Space

2. What We’ve Already Learned… • Political Geography is the study of POWER as it relates to place/space • “Who is in control?”, “Who wants to control an area, and why?”

3. Connections to What We’ve Learned • Political Geography is connected to culture and history • Conflicts over land often come from these things • What examples can you think of thus far? • Israel/Palestine for sure

4. Terms We Need To Know: • Centrifugal Force • Centripetal Force • Devolution • Balkanization • Irredentism

5. Centrifugal Force • Anyone familiar with this outside of Geography? • Similar to scientific definition: forces from within a state that tend to divide it, or tear it apart • causes of conflicts, essentially • What are some possible examples? • Religion • Language • Ethnicity • Ideology

6. Centripetal Forces • Uh-oh • Similar sound – but these are forces from within a state that tend to unite it. • Examples: • Religion • Language • Ethnicity • Ideology, PLUS • A popular national hero (Gandhi, Simon Bolivar) • A common outside threat (historical enemy, etc.)

7. So, what happens when centrifugal forces start to beat out centripetal ones?

8. Devolution • When regions in a larger state demand and gain political strength and autonomy (independence) at the expense of the central government • This is not the same thing as secession • Secession is where a region does not recognize the central government at all, and becomes its own entity • Example of secession?

9. Examples of Devolution:

10. Quebec • Why might the Quebecois want to take control away from the Canadian Government? • Differences of culture, history • Quebec is French-speaking • Originally part of French Empire, lost to Britain • Quebec has almost split from Canada • 49% voted to leave in 1990s!

11. Examples of Devolution:

12. Navajo & Hopi Nations (Indian Reservations) • Governed by BIA for decades (no local control) • In 1930s-50s, US Govt turned some power over to tribes • Indian Reservations are considered “domestic dependent nations” • Have own laws – hence casino gambling, cheap cigarettes, ban on liquor for some • Still subject to Federal Government

13. Balkanization • Fragmentation of a region into smaller (and often hostile) states • Origin of term: Region of Europe (Th e Balkans) known for violent cultural confl ict

14. The Balkans * Mountainous region (which separated people) * Cultures developed in isolation * Different languages, religions, histories * “Graveyard of Empires” – World War I

15. Examples of Balkanization: Pre-1991 Soviet Union Post-1991: Balkanized ex-Soviet Union

16. End of the Soviet Union • Dominated by Russia, it was an “alliance” of 16 countries • Economically dissolved for decades in the Cold War with the United States • Finally collapsed in 1991 – now 16 separate states • Question: What was the centripetal force holding the Soviet Union together? • What might have been some centrifugal forces tearing it apart?

17. Irredentism • Policy of cultural extension and political expansion aimed at a national group living in a neighboring country • What? • Basically, when one country has members of its group living in another country, and it attacks the other country or absorbs it in order to “save” its own people • Example from history: Hitler annexes the Sudetenland, part of Czechoslovakia, and Austria because German-speaking people need to “come home”