Power and Borders – OCR A Level Geography Paper 2
Global Governance – Option D
Ben Crinyion
Old Wycombensian (RGS High Wycombe)
University of Bristol Undergraduate
1.a – The world political map of sovereign nation states is dynamic
Definitions of state, nation, sovereignty and territorial integrity and how they are fundamental in
understanding the world political map
Understand the terms of norms, intervention and geopolitics and how they are fundamental in
appreciating that sovereignty and territorial integrity and complex issues
(Both spec points here are shown together/in combination)
Key Term Definition
Sovereign nation- Spatially bound areas of land, which physically define independent, self-governing countries. The
states dominant entity of the global political system, the most important form of spatial governance.
State Political entities that have territories over which the body politic exercises sovereignty.
Defined territory, sovereignty, recognised government, formula relations with other
states, independence, permanent population
State apparatus The set of institutions and organisations through which state power is achieved. Which are:
international organisations, legal mechanisms, police and armed forces, providing of
services, ability to regulate fiscal and monetary policies
State power depends on economic, social, political and physical factors e.g natural
resources or strength of international trade.
Fund for Peace (FFP) Measure the degree of resilience of a state
Fragile State Index Examples include state security provision, human rights and the impact of refugees.
Allows for help, assistance of potential intervention to be needed.
Nation Large group of people with strong bonds of identity
United by descent, history, culture and language.
Do not have sovereignty
When a nation has an independent state, it is a nation state e.g France and Japan
Most countries are nation states in modern politics, building national identity.
Sovereignty The absolute authority that independent states exercise in the government of the land and the
people in their territory.
Global political system of independent states based on territorial sovereignty.
Fundamental principle in understanding modern political geography.
Internal When an independent sovereign state has exclusive authority within its bounded territory and no
Sovereignty other state can intervene in its domestic politics.
External A state has to be recognised by other states to proclaim sovereignty.
Sovereignty Ensures territorial integrity and the ability to form international relations
,Territorial Integrity The territory of a state, over which it has exclusive and legitimate control which must be
respected and not broken or infringed.
Interrelated with sovereignty.
Boundaries established by international law.
Charter of the Framework which to maintain international peace and security, supporting the development of
United Nations international relations
Founding document of the UN. Signed in 1954. International treaty.
Instrument of international law, UN member states are bound by it. It codifies the
major principles of international relations.
It secures territorial integrity and state sovereignty:
Security Council has primary responsibility for maintenance, has 15 members, each
with one vote. All member states obliged to comply with decisions. Takes the lead in
determining the existence of a threat or act of aggression, calls on the parties to
dispute a settle by peaceful means.
Can result in sanctions being imposed, or even the use of force to maintain and restore
peace and security
States must oblige to Article 2 of the UN Charter, which focuses on the obligations of the state to
its citizens.
Article 2.1 Refers to the importance of sovereignty, the UN is based on the principle of sovereignty of all its
members.
Member states have equal right to determine their own form of government which
they can choose without outside influence
Article 2.4 All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against
the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner
inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations
Norms Universally accepted standard of behaviour, derived from developments over time.
Principles of the Charter of the United Nations based on the well-established, universal
norms.
The norms relating to sovereignty and territorial inntegrity include the: promotion of
friendly international relations, protection fo citizens, human rights, democracy,
freedom and opportunity.
Reinforced by international treaties or conventions, domestic laws must be compatible
with the UN Charter and other ratified treaties (e.g EU, ASEAN). Governments unable
to to comply rank higher in the FSI.
United Nations Compromises funds, programmes and specialised agencies with their own area of work,
leadership and budget.
The Main 5 Bodies are: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social
Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, Secretariat.
Intervention The act of a state, or group of states, or international organisations in a foreign territory to end
gross violations of human rights.
May be necessary when
Citizens aren’t protected, human rights are violated, direct aggression from another
state, civil war due to corrupt governance, ethnic conflict, religious fundamentalism,
TNCs with negative impact on host countries.
Controversial because
Argued that the principle of sovereignty (promoted by the UN) is undermined by the
act of intervention.
Sovereignty is the only obstacle to intervention.
, Article 39 Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to peace, the breach of the peace, or
act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken.
Essentially summarises the identification of issues in response of the UN.
Responsibility to Each individual State has the responsibility to protect its populations from genocide, war crimes,
Protect (2005) ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
UN Secretary-General has taken a series of steps to elaborate on the principle and
guide its practical implementation
Geopolitics Refers to ways in which geopolitical factors were central to shaping international polices
Involves the global balance of political power and international relations.
Global Governance Intervention by the global community, such as human rights, sovereignty and territorial integrity
The WORLD MAP has changed because of: disintegration caused by secession (the action of
withdrawing from membership), integration, regional trade blocs (e.g expanding accession to Croatia
in 2013), global organisations (e.g the UN).
As the world becomes more INTERCONNECTED, one area has more implications throughout the
world. Hence the set up of the UNITED NATIONS.
In 2023, AFRICA WAS THE LEAST STABLE REGION IN THE WORLD, Congo was the 4th least stable.
ASIA is second, with the Middle East being exceptionally low, Afghanistan was the 6th least stable
country in the world. OCEANIA is relatively stable, with New Zealand being the 4th most stable in
the world. EUROPE is quite stable, with Norway being the most stable in the world. Russia and
Ukraine are an exception, Ukraine has a score of 95.9. SOUTH AMERICA is relatively unstable, with
Venezuela having a score of 90.5.
Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Russia and Burkina Faso have all got far worse, whilst Yemen and Uzbekistan
have improved.
INTERVENTION.
Kosovo displayed the issues with it. States intervened without permission from the UN Security
Council, in Timor, it was eventually authorised, many already died by then. In Rwanda (1994),
international community criticised of doing too little. In Rwanda, if there was a coalition of states
ready and willing to act in defence of the Tutsi population, casualties would be far less.
- ACs are powerful, EDCs are increasingly important, LIDCs are less powerful.
- Supranatural political and economic organisations = strong geopolitical significance
- TNCs = significant influence in countries they locate within.
2.a – A multitude of factors pose challenges to sovereignty and territorial
integrity (Ukraine)
Erosion of sovereignty and loss of territorial integrity are influenced by economic, political, social and
environmental factors, including the challenges of :
- current political boundaries, transnational corporations (TNCs), supranatural
institutions such as regional trading blocs, political dominance of ethnic groups
Global Governance – Option D
Ben Crinyion
Old Wycombensian (RGS High Wycombe)
University of Bristol Undergraduate
1.a – The world political map of sovereign nation states is dynamic
Definitions of state, nation, sovereignty and territorial integrity and how they are fundamental in
understanding the world political map
Understand the terms of norms, intervention and geopolitics and how they are fundamental in
appreciating that sovereignty and territorial integrity and complex issues
(Both spec points here are shown together/in combination)
Key Term Definition
Sovereign nation- Spatially bound areas of land, which physically define independent, self-governing countries. The
states dominant entity of the global political system, the most important form of spatial governance.
State Political entities that have territories over which the body politic exercises sovereignty.
Defined territory, sovereignty, recognised government, formula relations with other
states, independence, permanent population
State apparatus The set of institutions and organisations through which state power is achieved. Which are:
international organisations, legal mechanisms, police and armed forces, providing of
services, ability to regulate fiscal and monetary policies
State power depends on economic, social, political and physical factors e.g natural
resources or strength of international trade.
Fund for Peace (FFP) Measure the degree of resilience of a state
Fragile State Index Examples include state security provision, human rights and the impact of refugees.
Allows for help, assistance of potential intervention to be needed.
Nation Large group of people with strong bonds of identity
United by descent, history, culture and language.
Do not have sovereignty
When a nation has an independent state, it is a nation state e.g France and Japan
Most countries are nation states in modern politics, building national identity.
Sovereignty The absolute authority that independent states exercise in the government of the land and the
people in their territory.
Global political system of independent states based on territorial sovereignty.
Fundamental principle in understanding modern political geography.
Internal When an independent sovereign state has exclusive authority within its bounded territory and no
Sovereignty other state can intervene in its domestic politics.
External A state has to be recognised by other states to proclaim sovereignty.
Sovereignty Ensures territorial integrity and the ability to form international relations
,Territorial Integrity The territory of a state, over which it has exclusive and legitimate control which must be
respected and not broken or infringed.
Interrelated with sovereignty.
Boundaries established by international law.
Charter of the Framework which to maintain international peace and security, supporting the development of
United Nations international relations
Founding document of the UN. Signed in 1954. International treaty.
Instrument of international law, UN member states are bound by it. It codifies the
major principles of international relations.
It secures territorial integrity and state sovereignty:
Security Council has primary responsibility for maintenance, has 15 members, each
with one vote. All member states obliged to comply with decisions. Takes the lead in
determining the existence of a threat or act of aggression, calls on the parties to
dispute a settle by peaceful means.
Can result in sanctions being imposed, or even the use of force to maintain and restore
peace and security
States must oblige to Article 2 of the UN Charter, which focuses on the obligations of the state to
its citizens.
Article 2.1 Refers to the importance of sovereignty, the UN is based on the principle of sovereignty of all its
members.
Member states have equal right to determine their own form of government which
they can choose without outside influence
Article 2.4 All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against
the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner
inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations
Norms Universally accepted standard of behaviour, derived from developments over time.
Principles of the Charter of the United Nations based on the well-established, universal
norms.
The norms relating to sovereignty and territorial inntegrity include the: promotion of
friendly international relations, protection fo citizens, human rights, democracy,
freedom and opportunity.
Reinforced by international treaties or conventions, domestic laws must be compatible
with the UN Charter and other ratified treaties (e.g EU, ASEAN). Governments unable
to to comply rank higher in the FSI.
United Nations Compromises funds, programmes and specialised agencies with their own area of work,
leadership and budget.
The Main 5 Bodies are: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social
Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, Secretariat.
Intervention The act of a state, or group of states, or international organisations in a foreign territory to end
gross violations of human rights.
May be necessary when
Citizens aren’t protected, human rights are violated, direct aggression from another
state, civil war due to corrupt governance, ethnic conflict, religious fundamentalism,
TNCs with negative impact on host countries.
Controversial because
Argued that the principle of sovereignty (promoted by the UN) is undermined by the
act of intervention.
Sovereignty is the only obstacle to intervention.
, Article 39 Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to peace, the breach of the peace, or
act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken.
Essentially summarises the identification of issues in response of the UN.
Responsibility to Each individual State has the responsibility to protect its populations from genocide, war crimes,
Protect (2005) ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
UN Secretary-General has taken a series of steps to elaborate on the principle and
guide its practical implementation
Geopolitics Refers to ways in which geopolitical factors were central to shaping international polices
Involves the global balance of political power and international relations.
Global Governance Intervention by the global community, such as human rights, sovereignty and territorial integrity
The WORLD MAP has changed because of: disintegration caused by secession (the action of
withdrawing from membership), integration, regional trade blocs (e.g expanding accession to Croatia
in 2013), global organisations (e.g the UN).
As the world becomes more INTERCONNECTED, one area has more implications throughout the
world. Hence the set up of the UNITED NATIONS.
In 2023, AFRICA WAS THE LEAST STABLE REGION IN THE WORLD, Congo was the 4th least stable.
ASIA is second, with the Middle East being exceptionally low, Afghanistan was the 6th least stable
country in the world. OCEANIA is relatively stable, with New Zealand being the 4th most stable in
the world. EUROPE is quite stable, with Norway being the most stable in the world. Russia and
Ukraine are an exception, Ukraine has a score of 95.9. SOUTH AMERICA is relatively unstable, with
Venezuela having a score of 90.5.
Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Russia and Burkina Faso have all got far worse, whilst Yemen and Uzbekistan
have improved.
INTERVENTION.
Kosovo displayed the issues with it. States intervened without permission from the UN Security
Council, in Timor, it was eventually authorised, many already died by then. In Rwanda (1994),
international community criticised of doing too little. In Rwanda, if there was a coalition of states
ready and willing to act in defence of the Tutsi population, casualties would be far less.
- ACs are powerful, EDCs are increasingly important, LIDCs are less powerful.
- Supranatural political and economic organisations = strong geopolitical significance
- TNCs = significant influence in countries they locate within.
2.a – A multitude of factors pose challenges to sovereignty and territorial
integrity (Ukraine)
Erosion of sovereignty and loss of territorial integrity are influenced by economic, political, social and
environmental factors, including the challenges of :
- current political boundaries, transnational corporations (TNCs), supranatural
institutions such as regional trading blocs, political dominance of ethnic groups
