Lesson 2 - Page 3

There are a few more concepts you need to learn before we can begin to analyze nationalism as a force of political change in the world. Political geographers use the term state to mean "country." For example, the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China are all states. A state has an internationally recognized, precisely-bounded territory and an independent, sovereign government that is formally recognized by other states. Geographers note that:

"the primary political division of Earth is by state sovereignty - a particular government is recognized by others as having supreme authority over a carefully delimited territory and the population and resources within that space. These political divisions are recognized by the United Nations and its member states" (GESG 1994).

Many nations want the international recognition that is afforded by state sovereignty, and are engaged in efforts - sometimes peaceful, sometimes violent - to gain sovereignty in their homeland through the creation of a nation-state. Political geographers define "nation-state" as an independent state whose population exclusively belongs to one nation. In reality, there are few nation-states in the world - most states can be more accurately described as being multinational or multiethnic. Over 90 percent of the states in the world have two or more ethnic groups or nations living within the boundaries of the state. With the increase of international migration and the global economy, the possibility of a single, unitary nation within a state boundary is increrasingly unlikely in the 21st Century. Often, it is more a political desire enforced by the state apparatus (education, army, etc...) rather than a reality.

Figure 1a. French Canadians in Quebec.
Figure 2b. Basques.	(note: this map only depicts the Spanish Basque Country - the historical nation of the Basques is larger)
Figure 2c. Catalans

What might happen if a nation were successful in gaining sovereignty over its homeland? Take the Kurds as one example. The boundaries of the Middle East would change dramatically if the Kurdistan became a sovereign nation-state. In North America, many French-Canadians want Quebec to secede from Canada to form an independent nation-state.

We can point to many other examples of nationalist movements that may someday lead to the formation of new nation-states. You may be familiar with place names like the Balkans, Northern Ireland, and Kashmir. What do these regions have in common? All are struggling with internal conflicts linked to cultural differences and nationalism. These differences have sometimes resulted in bloody conflicts as various groups have fought to create nation-states where their people can live independently and exercise control over their cultural homeland.