| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Nations | A group of people with common cultural characteristics |
| Nation-States | A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity |
| Stateless Nations | A group of people with a common culture who do not have their own state |
| Multinational States | A state with multiple 'nations' in its borders |
| Multistate Nations | A group of people with a common culture who reside in multiple states |
| Sovereignty | The authority of a state to govern itself or another state |
| Self-Determination | The right of a nation or people to govern themselves without external influence |
| Democratization | The process of moving a political system toward democracy |
| Geometric Boundary | A boundary that follows a straight line, such as a line of latitude or longitude |
| United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea | A treaty that establishes the rights and responsibilities of states in their use of the world's oceans |
| Redistricting | The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries |
| Gerrymandering | The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party or group |
| Unitary State | A state where power is centralized in the national government |
| Federal State | A state where power is dispersed among various local power centers |
| Ethnic Cleansing | The forced removal of an ethnic group from a particular area |
| Terrorism | The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims |
| Supranationalism | The process of states organizing politically and economically into one organization |
| Ethnonationalism | The belief in a common ethnic identity as the basis for political action |