Centripetal and Centrifugal

• Centripetal forces- things that tend to unify and bring people together; things that cause a state or system to unify
• Centrifugal forces- things that tend to divide and push people apart; things that cause a state or system to disintegrate
• Language, ethnicity, and religion are factors in creating centripetal and centrifugal forces.
• Possible Consequences of centrifugal forces:

  1. failed state- a state that has become so weak that the government is no longer in control.
  2. uneven development
  3. Presence of stateless Nations
  4. Ethnic nationalist Movements
• Possible consequences of centripetal forces:

  1. ethnonational- a sense of pride and identity tied to territory composed of a single ethnic group.
  2. Equitable infrastructure Development- investment in roads, power, clean water, etc., that generates supports for a state.
  3. Cultural Cohesion- society is culturally united.
• state- a nation territory considered as an organized political community under one government.
• Regional patterns of a language, region, and ethnicity contribute to a sense of place, and enhance placemaking, and shape the global cultural landscape.