The idea of territoriality is linked to the circumscription of a territory.
In order to delve into establishing the meaning of territoriality, it is necessary that, first of all, we proceed to know its etymological origin. In this sense, we can say that it derives from the Latin “territorium”, which is the result of the sum of two clearly differentiated parts: the noun “terra”, which means “earth”, and the suffix “-orio”, which is used to indicate membership.
Territoriality is a notion that comes from territory : an area or a region that establishes a jurisdiction, belongs to a certain State or serves as a field of action. The concept, in this way, usually refers to the way of circumscribing something according to its territorial development .
Concept of territoriality
The idea of territoriality appears in the field of sociology , social psychology and other sciences. It is an instinctive behavior or attitude of animals (including humans ) that promotes the defense of the territory they occupy. In the case of human beings, this defense is also linked to culture .
For many thinkers, the territoriality that is born from instinct derives from man 's tendency to appropriate, defend and administer certain geographical sectors . This identification with the territory allows the construction of identity and serves to satisfy different needs.
States are based on the concept of territoriality. Once a State is established, the authorities enjoy a monopoly on the use of violence in the region and administer the area at the political level. In fact, for a person to enter or leave the territory, or remain in it, they must have permission from the state authorities (through identity documents, passports, visas, etc.).
Dogs develop territoriality by marking areas with their urine.
Animals and their habitat
Animals also develop territoriality when they delimit and defend their habitat, preventing other specimens from approaching or settling in the area. Dogs, for example, mark their territory with urine.
Just like dogs, cats also have a strong sense of territoriality and that is why they do not hesitate to undertake certain acts with the clear objective of making clear what their space is, what their property is. These animals carry out several ways to make this delimitation, however, among the most common are urine, the scratches they generate with their sharp nails and through friction. This last method is perhaps the one they use the most because they consider that when doing it they release their pheromones and make it clear that this is their property. Thus, they do not hesitate to rub against furniture, with specific objects that they have in their room and even with what they own. This means that, on more than one occasion, they do not hesitate to rub between the legs of the people who take care of them.
Territoriality in law
In the field of law , finally, territoriality is associated with a legal fiction that establishes that embassies, consulates and flag vessels are part of the territory of a nation, beyond their real geographical location.
In this sense, it must also be highlighted that the aforementioned territoriality is based on three fundamental elements such as the sense of exclusivity, the sense of spatial identity and the way of interaction of the human being in what space is.