Ethnoterritorial

Ethnoterritorial refers to the idea that ethnicity and territory are closely linked in political claims and governance. It describes arrangements in which a particular ethnic group seeks political authority, autonomy, or self-determination over a defined geographic area that is tied to the group’s demographic makeup or historical settlement.

The term combines the notions of ethnos (people or nation) and territoriality (the control or organization of space). It is used in political science, nationalism studies, and human geography to analyze movements that demand governance based on ethnic criteria, whether through decentralization, autonomy within a state, or full secession. Ethnoterritorialism is often contrasted with civic nationalism, where belonging is defined by legal-political membership rather than ethnicity, and with universalist or post-national models of statehood.

In scholarly debates, ethnoterritorial claims are linked to ethnoregionalism, autonomist movements, and secessionist projects. They raise questions about minority rights, boundary definitions, and the balance between self-government and inclusion within multiethnic states. Supporters argue that ethnoterritorial arrangements can stabilize national identity, protect minority cultures, and enable self-rule within a recognized territory. Critics caution that rigid ethnoterritorial thinking can harden ethnic boundaries, marginalize non-ethnic residents, and contribute to conflict or discrimination in pursuit of self-determination.

The term is primarily analytical, used to describe and assess political movements and state responses rather than to prescribe specific outcomes. See also ethnonationalism, ethnoregionalism, territoriality, self-determination, autonomy, and secession.