KEY DEFINITIONS
Define the concept of a multinational state.
A state with multiple ethnic groups
A state with more than one national identity
A country containing diverse cultural or linguistic groups
A state whose borders include multiple nations
Identify one way ethnicity can become a source of conflict within a state.
political dominance by one group; discrimination; unequal representation; cultural suppression (language/religion bans); ethnic scapegoating; historic tensions.
Identify one type of communication technology commonly used by devolutionary or democracy movements.
Social media, messaging apps, satellite TV, or the internet.
Identify one way governments use communication infrastructure to limit movements.
Acceptable answers: internet shutdowns; censorship; surveillance; banning platforms; controlling ISPs; state-run media; blocking websites.
Define a centripetal force.
Acceptable answers: force that unifies the state; strengthens national unity; increases loyalty to central government.
Define an autonomous region.
Acceptable answers: self-governing region within a state; region with devolved powers; local government authority over internal affairs.
Identify one key characteristic that distinguishes a multinational state from a nation-state.
Cultural heterogeneity vs. homogeneity
Multiple languages vs. one dominant language
Competing national identities
Ethnic diversity across regions
Explain how shared ethnicity can strengthen devolutionary movements.
shared identity builds solidarity; shared language improves organizing; collective action/mobilization; historical homeland claims; cultural pride → support for autonomy/independence.
Explain how communication technology helps devolutionary groups organize.
Acceptable answers: rapid coordination; planning protests; mass mobilization; sharing meeting locations/times; bypassing state media; creating networks across regions/diasporas.
Explain how internet shutdowns limit protest movements.
Acceptable answers: disrupt coordination; limit information sharing; reduce turnout; isolate activists; prevent documentation of abuses; weaken fundraising/support.
Describe one centripetal force governments use to promote the state as a nation.
Acceptable answers: nationalism; shared language policies; national education; symbols/holidays; common legal system; infrastructure connecting regions; conscription.
Explain one benefit of creating autonomous regions in a multinational state.
Acceptable answers: reduces conflict; gives cultural protection; increases representation; local control over policies; satisfies autonomy demands without full independence.
Explain why multinational states are more likely to experience devolution than nation-states.
Ethnic groups seek autonomy
Cultural marginalization by central government
Uneven political representation
Desire for self-determination
Historical grievances
Explain how ethnic differences can lead to demands for regional autonomy.
Acceptable answers: preserve language/religion; prevent assimilation; gain political voice; protect cultural institutions; respond to marginalization; address ethnic-region inequality.
Explain how communication technology spreads democratic ideas.
Acceptable answers: shares democratic norms; exposes corruption/abuses; increases political participation; spreads protest tactics; amplifies international attention/support.
Explain why controlling media can strengthen a central government.
Acceptable answers: controls narrative; reduces opposition visibility; discourages dissent; increases legitimacy; shapes national identity messaging.
Explain how national education can act as a centripetal force.
Acceptable answers: teaches shared history/values; builds national identity; promotes a common language; increases loyalty to the state; reduces regional differences.
Explain one risk of maintaining a strictly unitary state in a multinational country.
Acceptable answers: increases resentment; fuels separatism; sparks protest/violence; ignores regional needs; encourages devolution/independence movements.
Provide a real-world example of a multinational state experiencing devolutionary pressure.
Spain (Catalonia, Basque region)
United Kingdom (Scotland, Wales)
Iraq (Kurds)
China (Tibet, Xinjiang)
Canada (Quebec)
Using a specific example, explain how ethnicity has led to devolution.
Catalonia (Spain): distinct language and culture
Scotland (UK): national identity and historic independence
Kurds (Iraq/Turkey): shared ethnicity across borders
Tibetans (China): cultural and religious distinctiveness
Quebec (Canada): French language and identity
Explain why governments often view communication technology as a threat.
Acceptable answers: weakens censorship; enables opposition coordination; challenges official narratives; spreads dissent quickly; encourages international scrutiny.
Explain one way surveillance can weaken devolutionary or democracy groups.
Acceptable answers: identifies leaders; intimidates supporters; enables arrests; breaks networks; discourages organizing due to fear.
Explain how uneven development within a state can act as a centrifugal force.
Acceptable answers: neglected regions resent the core; wealth gaps create grievances; resource extraction without local benefit; unequal services/jobs; regional identity strengthens.
Compare how autonomy and a unitary state address devolution pressures differently.
Acceptable answers: autonomy decentralizes power/power-sharing; unitary centralizes authority; autonomy accommodates identity; unitary emphasizes national unity/control.
Explain how multinational states challenge the idea that state borders always match cultural boundaries.
Borders drawn politically, not culturally
Colonial boundaries ignored ethnic groups
Cultural groups often span multiple states
States include multiple national identities
Explain why ethnicity can be both a unifying force within a group and a centrifugal force within a state.
unites the ethnic group internally while weakening loyalty to the state; increases in-group solidarity/out-group tension; mobilizes separatism; identity competes with national identity.
Give a real-world example of technology advancing a democracy or devolutionary movement.
Acceptable examples: Arab Spring social media; Hong Kong protests; Iran protests; Belarus protests; Myanmar resistance; Ukraine protest movements (any one with a tech connection).
Evaluate one downside for governments that heavily restrict communication infrastructure.
Acceptable answers: economic harm; global condemnation/sanctions; loss of public trust; stronger backlash/radicalization; long-term instability; reduced innovation/investment.
Link uneven development to devolutionary pressure in a multinational state
Acceptable answers: wealthier regions seek control over taxes/resources; poorer regions demand fairness/autonomy; ethnic regions feel exploited/ignored; inequality increases separatist support.
For a multinational state facing devolution, compare the choice to create an autonomous region vs. maintain a unitary state (include one pro and one con for each).
Acceptable answers (any valid compare):
Autonomy pro: reduces conflict/recognizes identity; con: may encourage more separatism/weakens central control.
Unitary pro: strengthens state unity/control; con: can intensify resistance/instability if groups feel oppressed.