Political geography
Political geography can be described as the science that examines the relations between political phenomena or processes and their special or areal distribution (Kasperson and Minghi 11). For instance, political geography can examine the results of elections in different parts of a certain country. Moreover, researchers can examine how political boundaries between states emerged or disappeared in the course of time.
Partitioned State
Such a notion as partitioned state can be explained as a political territory that has been divided into several parts that function as separate states (Taylor and House 99). Normally this partition is accomplished either by diplomatic means or through military intervention. For instance, one can mention such countries as former Yugoslavia or the USSR that were partitioned.
Elongated State
The term elongated state is used to refer to any territory that has a narrow and long shape (McColl 1019). One can mention at least two such countries, for instance, Chile and Italy.
Fragmented State
Fragmented state can be defined as a country whose territory consists of several discontinuous pieces (McColl 1019). There are two notions that are related to a fragmented state. In particular, such a term as an exclave is used to describe a part of the country that is surrounded by foreign territories (McColl 1019). For instance, the Russian city Kaliningrad is an exclave because it is entirely surrounded by such countries as Poland and Lithuania. In turn, the term enclave refers to a country that is fully surrounded by the territory of a different state (McColl 1019). For instance, San Marino is fully encircled by Italy.
Mediterranean State vis-à-vis Mediterranean Region State
The term Mediterranean state refers to a country that is fully encircled by the Mediterranean Sea; in particular one can speak about two states, Malta and Cyprus. In contrast, Mediterranean region state is an umbrella term describing a group of countries that have coastal lines on this sea. One can refer to such states as Turkey, Spain or France.
“Centripetal” and the “centrifugal” forces in State Cohesion Theory
State cohesion theory plays an important part in political geography because it explains the factors that unite or disrupt the state. In particular, one can mention centripetal forces that unify the state (Swanson 267). Among them, one can distinguish common legislation or administrative structures. In contrast centrifugal forces are those factors that contribute to the growing tension within a society, for instance, one may refer to linguistic or religious differences, political disputes, or racial animosities (Swanson 267).
Administrative Organization
Administrative organization is one of the most important centripetal forces. In this case, this term describes the way in which the government functions and how people can interact with the state (Lee 164). If administrative organization is efficient, people are more likely to feel unanimous and the tensions within a society can be alleviated.
Institutions
Institutions are the organizations that represent the government; they are supposed to serve people’s needs. Among such institutions, one can single out law-enforcement agencies, educational institutions, regulating agencies and so forth. Provided that these organizations can meet people’s needs, the state can become more stable. This is why institutions can act as a centripetal force.
Language
In turn, language can be a significant centrifugal force that disrupts many states. The thing is that linguistic differences often lead to people’s alienation from one another. It may be difficult for them to interact with each other. One can look at such a country as Canada where language leads to the tensions within a state, in particular, people, who live in the French-speaking province of Quebec, want to live in a separate state (Russell 15).
Sub-nationalism
Sub-nationalism or ethnic divisions can also be a powerful centrifugal force that increases the tensions within a state. The influence of such divisions can be strong in those cases when ethnic groups have different linguistic and cultural background. This argument can be demonstrated by looking at such a country as the Soviet Union that was inhabited many nationalities (White and White, 79). Sometime, the effects of sub-nationalism can be disastrous, especially if one looks at such a country as Rwanda which was virtually torn apart by the genocide (Peterson 192). This is why sub-nationalism can be regarded as a centrifugal force.
Works Cited
Kasperson, Roger, and J. Minghi. The Structure of Political Geography, New York: Transaction Publishers, 2011. Print.
Lee, David. The Problem of Sociology, London: Routledge, 1983.
McColl, Richard. Encyclopedia of World Geography, London: Infobase Publishing, 2005. Print.
Peterson, Scott. Me Against My Brother: At War in Somalia, Sudan and Rwanda, London: Routledge, 2001. Print.
Russell, Elizabeth. Caught Between Cultures: Women, Writing & Subjectivities, New York: Rodopi, 2002. Print.
Swanson, Kelly, Kaplan AP Human Geography 2009, New York: Kaplan Publishing, 2009. Print.
Taylor, Peter, and J. House. Political Geography: Recent Advances and Future Directions, New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 1984. Print.
White, George, and E. White. Nation, State, and Territory: Origins, Evolutions, and Relationships, New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Print.