Glossary
Autonomous Regions
Areas within a state that possess a high degree of self-governance, allowing them to make decisions on local matters without significant interference from the central government.
Example:
Greenland, as an autonomous region within the Kingdom of Denmark, has significant control over its internal affairs, including its own parliament and government.
Balkanization
The process by which a state fragments into smaller, often hostile, independent units, typically due to intense ethnic or cultural tensions and strong regional identities.
Example:
The breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s into several independent states like Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, marked by conflict, is a classic example of balkanization.
Decentralization
The process of distributing power or functions away from a central authority to local or regional levels, often seen as the mechanism through which devolution occurs.
Example:
A large multinational corporation allowing its regional offices to make independent marketing decisions, rather than requiring approval from headquarters, is an example of decentralization.
Devolution
The transfer of power from a central government to regional or local governments, aiming to decentralize decision-making and give more autonomy to lower levels of government.
Example:
When the United Kingdom granted the Scottish Parliament powers over education and healthcare, it was an act of devolution, allowing Scotland to tailor policies to its specific needs.
Ethnic Separatism
A force leading to devolution where minority groups fight for independence or greater autonomy due to their unique culture, language, or shared heritage, distinct from the dominant group.
Example:
The desire of the Kurdish people to establish their own independent state, separate from the countries they currently reside in, is a powerful example of ethnic separatism.
Fragmentation of States
The process where strong devolutionary forces lead to the breakup of a state into multiple smaller, independent entities, often resulting in new political boundaries.
Example:
The dissolution of the Soviet Union into fifteen independent republics after decades of centralized control illustrates the fragmentation of states on a massive scale.
Irredentism
A political movement or policy advocating for the annexation of a territory based on shared ethnicity, culture, or historical ties with a neighboring state, often leading to cross-border tensions.
Example:
When a country claims a region in a neighboring state because a significant population of its own ethnic group resides there, it is demonstrating a policy of irredentism.
Sub-Nationalists
Groups or individuals who advocate for greater autonomy or self-determination for their specific region or cultural group within an existing state, often driven by cultural, linguistic, or economic differences.
Example:
The movement in Catalonia pushing for independence from Spain, driven by a distinct language and culture, represents the actions of sub-nationalists.