Balkanization
nounUK /ˌbɔːl.kən.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/ · US /ˌbɑl.kən.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/
Etymology From Balkan + -ization. The term is a reference to the conflicts that the Balkan peninsula experienced in the 20th century.
1
Political science, Social sciences Historical The fragmentation of a geopolitical region into several small states that are often hostile or non-cooperative with each other.
2
Broadly, Informal Any disintegration or fragmentation process.
- demographic balkanization
- Issues that are already hotly contested become even more divisive in the context of social balkanization.2002, Carol M. Swain, The New White Nationalism in America, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 94:
1 more example
- In other words, will the biometric future feature biometric centralization whereby one biometric would dominate multiple applications, or will we see biometric balkanization where multiple biometrics are used for multiple applications?2006, Anil K. Jain, Ruud Bolle, Sharath Pankanti, Biometrics: Personal Identification in Networked Society, Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 401:
3
Government, Human sciences, Politics, Sciences, Social science, Sociology Broadly, Informal The fragmentation of a society into hyper-polarized hostile factions.
- Derived terms
- cyber-Balkanization
- Related terms
- Balkanize