Political geograph

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What is Political Geography?

•The scientific study of the relationship between politics and terrestrial space

Definition contains two parts:•GEOGRAPHY - spatial distributions E.g. people, ethnic, boundaries, •POLITICS - political phenomena

E.g. Power, interactions, loyalties compromises, struggles

Political Cultural region: Boundaries• Older boundaries were marchlands—not clearly

defined1. Natural – follow some feature of the natural

landscape, e.g. a river or mountain ridge2. Ethnographic – culture trait, e.g. language or

religion 3. Relic - no longer exist but leave traces in the

culture- example Germany • Modern Boundaries:

1. Geometric – regular or straight lines –E.g. North America

The world has about 200 Independent States- Sub-Saharan Africa has 43 states These States:1. Have had many different forms2. Recognizes each others’ sovereignty3. Colonialism diffused idea of modern territorial state into Africa4. Distribution of national territory

a. Importance of a state’s geographic shapeb. Enclavesc. Examples of exclaves

Political culture regionsA world of States

Organizing the Territory Inside the Boundaries

FEDERAL UNITARY

Legal Some uniformity mixed with diversity among the units

Uniform across the state

Size Tend to be larger Likely to be small and homogeneous

Foci Multiple Single

Organizing the Territory Inside the Boundaries

Federal StatesFederal States: • Compromise – Nigeria• Imposed – Central African Federation (1943-

53)Unitary States:• Many African countries• Centralized government system

Central African Federation (1943-1953) - Imposed

Agriculture

Mining

Industrial/Service

B. Diffusion of independence and innovations1. Example of contagious expansion diffusion in Africa2. Examples of political innovations spread by cultural

diffusion

V. Politico-cultural interactionA. The nation-state

1. Nationality equals culture2. Centripetal forces create homogeneity3. Examples of centrifugal forces disrupting nation-states

V. Politico-cultural interaction: Cultural contradictions of state borders1. Most countries are not nation-states2. Borders drawn during European colonialization

a. Importance of cultural factorb. Group identity—nationalism c. Centripetal— promotes unityd. Centrifugal— disrupts internal

order

Centrifugal and centripetal forces

How the rest of the world sees Africa?

One of two extremes: 1) Landscape of Political Instability - Continent beset by genocidal warfare, corrupt leaders, and rampant poverty.

2) A region that is about to enter a renaissance.

Causes of Centrifugal forces

1)Military coup d’états2) One Party States and

Dictatorships3) Ethnic and civil

Unrest4) Border Disputes

What causes Political instability

8 reasons ( According to Mazrui and Khapoya)

1. Ethnic differences and tensions in the region

2. The triple of the region3. Incompetence of some leaders4. Poorly defined role of the military 5. Unrealistic expectations placed on

state institutions6. Undue international interference in the

internal sovereign affairs of states

Military Coup d’états1960-early 90s: 25 out of 43 Sub-Saharan

African countries had Coup d’états

Reason for Military take over - civilian squandering of resources - bureaucratic delays - sluggish speed in development - people distrust of government

OAU resolution1998 in Algeria Coups d'etats will no longer be tolerated as

a means of claiming power in Africa

Year 2000: Cote d’Ivoire coup d’etat -General Robert Gueie toppled Henri Konan Bedie.

Ethnic Loyalties in Africa•Ethnic loyalties and identities are powerful bases for social and political life in Africa

↓ because Real sense of identification, loyalty, emotions – pride & grievances)

•Ethnic groups are easy to mobilize than classes

Islamic law in Nigerian politics1. Muslim north and Christian/animist south2. Application of Sharia laws3. Increase of religious violence

•Sense of an ethnic groups no longer accept domination by others

•E.g. of countries with major fault lines based on ethnicity:

Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Rwanda

One Party States• Those national leaders who opted

for one party rule on the premise:1.National integration given

the dangerous ethnic and social cleavages.

2. Social and economic development of young nations to progress, confrontational politics of divisiveness is not affordable.

3. Societies are not matured for the luxury of multiparty.

• In 1960 &70s: Intra-state violence was a prominent feature of the African political landscape

For some leaders One Party rule was

honest solution However • Good intention was corrupted by

various authoritarian leaders Why? seeking to advance personal

agendas of power. accumulation of wealth.

Present multi-party political systems

• Beginning 1992 most single party rule countries of Africa became multi-party rule.

↓ but • There is no real attempt to dismantle

the inherently repressive and anti-democratic state structure

E.g. Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda etc

Border and territorial disputes• OAU conference in 1964 (held in Cairo)

African leaders agreed to respect existing international borders, even though they resent them as colonial legacy.

“Mwalimu” Julius Nyerere’s comments on African states:

“These new countries are artificial units, geographical expressions carved by

imperialists . These are units we have tried to turn into nations”.

Border Wars• Africa civil wars have been fought to

defend colonial boundaries E.g. Nigeria – 3 yrs Biafra War (1967-’69) 1 million estimated dead Zaire – Katanga War (1960s) Sudan – ongoing Ethiopia – 1993 allowed Eritrea to be independent state Tz vs Uganda border War (1978)

more than 2 million lives lostQuestion: Will Africa map be redrawn 100

years to come?

Multi-Party Politics In Kenya

• Moi and KANU were reluctant converts to pluralism

• Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia launched the campaign for multi-party democracy (in 1990) They were detained

• Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD) a year later

• 1992 & 1997 elections, won by KANU• Moi continue to stay in power

Tanzania • Tanganyika independence 1961• Zanzibar independence 1963• Tanzania Union 1964• Ruled under single Party named

“Chama cha Mapinduzi” (Revolutionary Party) until 1995

• Multiparty Election 1995, 2000 & 2005• Major competing Party is Civic united

Front (CUF)• CCM Party use military and police

force during every election to continue to win and continue to rule