Balkanization

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Balkanization is a geopolitical term originally used to describe the process of fragmentation or division of a region or state into smaller regions or states that are often hostile or non-cooperative with each other. The term has arisen from the conflicts in the 20th century Balkans. The first balkanization was embodied in the Balkan Wars, and the term was reaffirmed in the Yugoslav wars.

The term is also used to describe other forms of disintegration, including, for instance, the subdivision of the Internet being divided into separate enclaves, and the breakdown of cooperative arrangements due to the rise of independent competitive entities engaged in "beggar-thy-neighbor" bidding wars. Balkanization is sometimes used to refer to the divergence over time of programming languages and data file formats (particularly XML). The term has been used in American urban planning to describe the process of creating gated communities. There are also attempts to use the term balkanization in a positive way equating it with the need for sustenance of a group or society. The term has been used by conservative gay rights activist Andrew Sullivan. He referred to civil unions as adding to the "cultural balkanization that already plagues American public life." In January 2007, regarding a rise in support for Scottish independence, Gordon Brown talked of a "Balkanisation of Britain".

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Last updated on Tuesday February 26, 2008 at 10:18:21 PST (GMT -0800)
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