1995-10-01a- CIA Conference Report: THE CHALLENGE OF ETHNIC CONFLICT TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORDER IN THE 1990S GEOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES 01-Oct-95

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Territorial Processes
Centralization subsumed: Boundary establishment's three stages:
- "Centripetal forces." - Definition.
* Socioeconomic and political integration. - Delimitation.
e Modernization. - Demarcation.
* Metropolitanism. Expansionist subsumed:
- Core-periphery relationships. * Imperialism.
Decentralization subsumed: Irredentism subsumed:
" "Centrifugal forces." * Annexationism-change in political control from
one unit to another.
" Self-determination-processesinvolved in a demand
for the restructuring of the State, with new power to Separatism subsumed:
the people. Autonomism-implies territorial distinctiveness.
e Devolution-legislative power from center to
region(s). * Self-determination-processesinvolved in a demand
to be separated from the existing State.
- Colonial rule. " Decolonization-initiated by colony.
" Decolonization-instigated by the imperial power:
e Secessionism-detachment to create a new territory.
Capital city location: CBased on Whebell (1983), with modifications and additions by
e Site selection process and consequences of site Knight.
selection.
replaced by multiparty democratic systems responsive can itself be a territorial process, as evidenced by the
to ballot box results. Colonial rule, under the guidance bitter case in Canada in the 19th century (Knight,
of a governor, is a form of decentralization, as is 1992) and in united Germany over whether Berlin
decolonization that occurs by imperial action. should once again become the capital.
All States, through their governments, deal with com- Other territorial processes include:
peting centripetal and centrifugal forces. Competition
between and among the regions of the State and with - Boundary establishment-the creation of limits to a
the center provides evidence of this. The selection of a territory.This can involve dynamic processes, as
capital city generally brings both forces to the surface governments determine the areal extent of their con-
as competing territorially based biases and opinions trol. Boundary conflicts remain the primary cause
are expressed. Hence the selection of a new capital for conflict between States (Boundary Bulletin).
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