Political Entities
A formal term for a "country." It has a permanent population, defined territory, a government, and is recognized by others (sovereignty
What is a State?
A boundary that no longer functions but is still visible on the landscape
What is a Relic Boundary?
How a state is organized politically. The processes, institutions, and systems used to make and implement decisions, manage public resources, and exercise authority to run a country.
What is Governance (Government)?
A political movement aiming to reclaim territory perceived as historically or ethnically belonging to one's nation but currently under another state's control
What is Irredentism?
This is the capacity for self-governance.
What is autonomy?
A group of people sharing a common cultural heritage
What is a Nation?
Boundary forced onto a landscape by outside powers.
What is a Superimposed Boundary?
A territory within a larger country that has some degree of self-governance and control over its internal affairs, but ultimately remains subject to the central government's authority
What is a Semi-Autonomous Region?
Forces that unify a state.
What are Centripetal?
The group of people in the United States who elect the President.
What is the Electoral College?
A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular nation
What is a Nation-State?
Boundary drawn after people have settled and often follows cultural landscapes
What is a Subsequent Boundary?
System where power is shared between the central government and local/regional units. Better for large, diverse states
What are Federal States?
Forces that divide a state.
What is Centrifugal?
The practice of redrawing these boundaries to benefit one political party.
What is Gerrymandering?
A large group of people sharing a common culture, language, or ethnicity that lacks its own independent, sovereign state.
Boundary established before an area is well-populated.
What is an Antecedent Boundary?
A system where power is concentrated in the central government.
What are Unitary States?
The transfer of power "downward" from central to regional governments, often leading to fragmentation.
What is Devolution?
Concentrating the opposition's voters in one district.
What is Packing?
A state containing multiple nations
What is a Multistate Nation?
A type of political boundary that is drawn to accommodate existing cultural, ethnic, linguistic, or religious differences.
What is a Consequent Boundary?
System where regional governments hold the majority of power in a country at the expense of the national government.
What are Confederated States?
Multiple states joining together for a common purpose, giving up some sovereignty for benefit.
What is Supranationalism?
Spreading the opposition's voters across many districts to dilute their power.
What is Cracking?