Political Geography l Centripetal Forces l Centrifugal Forces l Internal Territorial Disputes l Migration l Refugees

State Cohesiveness l Centripetal Forces - Forces that bind together the people of a state, strengthens the state l Centrifugal Forces - Forces that destabilize a state, weakens a state

Centripetal Forces l Nationalism - allegiance to one’s country. Promoted by iconography. l Unifying institutions - schools, armed forces, religion

l Organization & Administration - governments. Canberra, Australia (left) l Transportation & Communication - in large countries important eg.TCH

Centrifugal Forces l Nationalism - most powerful of any force eg.Basque separatists and others wanting self rule in Europe

l Size and Shape of state - isolation for some parts. Transportation & communication problems l Fragmented states have the greatest challenges.

l Disputes over resources and wealth esp in large states like Canada & Russia l Territorial claims/boundary disputes

Internal Territorial Disputes

Rwanda l Tutsis gained favour under Belgian rule after WWI, then Hutu tribe gained it l animosities increased after 1962 (independence) l civil war in 1994, Hutus driven out into DRC. Over 1,000,000 refugees fled, many now repatriated.

Migration l Immigration - movement of people into an area l Emigration - movement out of an area l Significant numbers of immigrants can act as a centrifugal force within a state, esp when they are of a different ethnic group/culture.

France l Since high immigration for jobs in industry, low birth rate l Post WWII, most immigrants into France from former colonies & protectorates in Africa and SE. Asia l Immigrants from the Magreb (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria) recently met hostilities l Muslim and Arab l Political right-wing parties formally anti-immigration now.

Migration

Refugees l Persons outside their state who cannot return for fear of persecution: race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership in a group l 10,000,000 est in 2003 by UN l 4,500,000 IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) l Need for refugee camps, esp in neighbouring states (DRC, Iran, Pakistan) strains on these states of “asylum”.