Boundary Disputes Boundary Disputes Definitional argument or lack

Boundary Disputes

Boundary Disputes • Definitional: argument or lack of clarity about the wording of the treaty that establishes the boundary – Ex. Chile/ Argentina border • Allocational: conflicting claims to natural resources of a border region – Ex. Oil field below Iraq/ Kuwait border

Boundary Disputes • Locational: wording of treaty is OK, boundary put on the map/ physical marking is in the wrong place – Ex. Jews and Muslims in Palestine • Operational: dispute that focuses on how a boundary should function – Ex. US/ Mexico border- Mexico allows immigration

Boundary Origins • Relic: boundary that has ceased to function, but can still be detected on cultural landscape – Ex. East and West Germany

Boundary Origins • Superimposed: imposed by conquering power, unconcerned with pre-existing cultural patterns – Ex. 38 th parallel, Africa

Superimposed In Africa

Boundary Origins • Antecedent: already existed before people lived there – Ex. 49 th parallel-US and Canada • Subsequent: established after settlement with an attempt to accommodate cultural differences – Ex. Vietnam and China

Drawing Boundaries • Delimit: draw boundary on a map • Define: Formal written agreement setting up a border • Demarcate: mark the border using visible means

Supranational Organizations

What is a supranational organization? • Group of three or more countries that work to promote shared objectives

Examples • United Nations (UN) – Promote international peace and security – Main purpose: political

Examples • European Union – Promote greater social, political, and economic harmony in Europe • Ex. Common currency, open borders

Examples • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – NA countries and Europe, defend each other from the spread of communism – Main Purpose: Military

Examples • North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) – “removing barriers” to trade among the NA continent – Main purpose: Economic

Examples • African Union (AU) – Replaced Organization of African Unity – Promote unity among African countries – Main Purpose: Political

Examples • Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Unify SE Asian nations, accelerate economic growth – Main Purpose: Political

Examples • Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) – Coordinate and unify petroleum producing policies of member countries – Most Middle Eastern Countries – Main purpose: Economic

Examples • International Monetary Fund (IMF) – Work to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, reduce poverty around the world – Main Purpose: Economic

Examples • World Trade Organization – Ensure global trade commences smoothly, freely and predictable – Main Purpose: Economic

Centripetal vs Centrifugal • Centripetal Forces: forces that unify a state, bind people in a country together – Ex. Common language, religion, external threats – Raison d’Etre: reason to be, shared history – Forward Capital: relocated capital city usually b/c of economic or strategic reasons • Ex. Brazil, Pakistan

Centripetal vs Centrifugal • Centrifugal Force: divide a state, lead to balkanization/ devolution, weaken a country – Ex. Religion, languages, federal government, separatist movements, territorial disputes

Devolution • Breakup of a country into smaller countries due to conflict, demand for greater autonomy – Could lead to instability, migrations, more power to regions Ex. Great Britain and Ireland, Yugoslavia, Canada, Spain

Irredentism • Belief that a territory/ nation/ country be governed by country it “belongs” to historically and culturally – Ex. Third Reich and Germany, Israel/ Palestine

Geopolitics • Study of the interplay between political relations and the territorial context in which they occur

Ratzel/ Organic State • States “resemble” a biological organism whose life cycle extends from birth through maturity, decline, and death, possible even rebirth – States require “nourishment”

Heartland - Rimland • Sir Halford Mackinder - Heartland • “He who controls East Europe commands the Heartland, Who rules the Heartland commands the World island, who rules the island rules the world” – A country from Eurasia will rule the world

Heartland - Rimland • Nicholas Spykman – Rimland • “Who controls the Rimland rules Eurasia, Who rules Eurasia controls the destinies of the world” • Argued Eurasian rim held key to global power – Fragmented, unlikely to fall to one superpower – Lots of people and resources

Cold War • Capitalism (West) vs Communism/ Socialism (East) – Shatterbelt- often invaded, lots of cultural differences – Buffer State: state located btwn two larger conflicting states, balance power – Satellite State: state that is formally independent but under heavy militarily, economic, and political control by another

Cold War – Domino Theory: the fear that if one country fell to communism, the other surrounding countries would fall too – Containment: try to keep communism from spreading beyond its borders – Reunification: rejoining of Germany and Berlin after the end of the Cold War