European union and territoriality: The territorialization of union space and inside-outside distinction

Spatial control is one of the basic characteristics of polities. Polities try to create compartmentalized spaces thereby gaining a spatial form to their existence. Thus, control is established on space, and economic, political, societal, cultural etc. interactions are regulated. Territoriality is a rational spatial control strategy that connects polities to the psychical space, and also, forges bounded or compartmentalized spaces. In other words, as a geographical manifestations of political power, territoriality is a claim of delimiting a certain geographical area, and of regulating processes within this area. In this framework, the European Union, which is a polity interacting with space, struggles to separate its space from the outside, and creates regular interactions in world geography. The Union separates its space by imposing boundaries and forging a space of order whereby creating a secure space of opportunities. Also, it performs a territorial control strategy to form such a spatial order. In this way, it distinguishes inside from outside; establishes regular interactions with outside or outsiders; and strengthens the institutionalization of its geographical area. The main statement of the study is that the European Union politically and spatially establishes a territorial order within its space, and thus, the Union space is positioned as a geographical fixity in world geography. Keywords: Territoriality, Spatial Control, Compartmentalization, Territorial Order, European Union, Union Space, Inside-Outside Distinction.