Nations versus States
Nations define cultural identity, but states are the main political divisions into which the world is organized. (In some states, such as the US and Australia, this term is used to refer to the main internal political divisions into they are divided.) Look at a world political map. You will see that there are currently about 200 states, but the exact number may vary depending on where the map you are seeing was published. Indeed, the world political map has its own geography.
Figure 1. Political Map of the World (United Nations Member States)
Pause and Reflect: See this website of US-recognised states and compare to political maps produced in your own country: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/world_maps/world_pol_2008.pdf
As the world's primary political division, a state is characterized by state sovereignty. That means a particular government is recognized by other governments as having supreme authority over a carefully delimited territory and the population and resources within that space. The borders of each state's territory are officially agreed upon ("recognized") by other states. Thus, the community of "states" defines itself, and power relationships are implicit in the process of recognition. According to Giddens (1985: 172), states are "power-containers," so the status of their recognition will depend on their political relationships.
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Date last modified: October 8, 2009.
NSF Project (AAG,Texas State, Northern Colorado)