Territorialized describes the act or process of establishing control over a geographical area, asserting ownership, and defining boundaries, often involving the enforcement of laws, customs, and societal structures. This can apply to nations, organizations, or even individuals. It implies the imposition of a specific order and identity upon a space, altering its character and function through the claiming and management of resources and the exclusion or control of others. The process often involves the construction of physical or symbolic markers to reinforce the asserted territorial claims and the development of infrastructure to support these claims. It is a dynamic process subject to negotiation, contestation, and change.
Territorialized meaning with examples
- Following the conquest, the occupying forces swiftly territorialized the conquered lands, implementing their legal system, establishing military bases, and suppressing local customs. This process aimed to solidify their control and integrate the new territory into their empire, restructuring the pre-existing social order.
- Corporations, through their operations and infrastructure, increasingly territorialized cyberspace by creating digital monopolies, controlling data flows, and influencing online behavior. This involved shaping internet access and imposing their governance models onto the virtual realm.
- Indigenous communities experienced the effects of colonial powers **territorializing** their ancestral lands, leading to displacement, cultural disruption, and the exploitation of natural resources. Resistance often took the form of challenging boundaries and reclaiming traditional practices.
- Urban developers territorialized previously undeveloped land through zoning regulations, creating gated communities, and building private infrastructure, which limited access and created social and economic divisions within the existing social landscape.
- The political party territorialized the media landscape by using their influence to restrict unfavorable news outlets and promoting their own version of events, while consolidating their power and control within their political system.