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Seth Tulud

Global Theories in a New Light

GEED 10043 The Contemporary World

Prof. Nestor Josef Mercado

Engineering Department Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Taguig

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Globalization has been present in the humanities since early times in history. It defines the

current state of the nation through the advancement of the economy and the awareness of cultural

diversification across its geographic, political, and social terms. The progress of elevating the

technological state also contributes to what the position of globalization has today. There are

several theories about the concept of globalization.

The World-Systems Theory is a macro-sociological perspective that seeks to explain the

dynamics of the “capitalist world economy” as a “total social system” (Martinez-Vela, 2001). It

emphasizes the significance of the world as a whole rather than individual countries and divides

it into three regions: core countries, periphery countries, and semi-periphery countries.

Technology has a critical role in determining whether a region is in the core or on the periphery.

The advanced or developed countries form the core, while the less developed countries from the

periphery. Peripheral countries are fundamentally limited to developing in a way that replicates

their inferior status. (Chase-Dunn & Grimes, 1995). This idea is criticized for focusing on the

economics and core countries while ignoring culture and even class issues in specific countries.

Modernization Theory, on the other hand, states that all countries follow a similar path of

development from a traditional to modern society. States reorganize in an increasingly

competitive environment. The pursuit of international power and economic expansion results in

significant changes in domestic policies. Dependency Theory was a reaction to Modernization

Theory. It uses the idea of core and periphery countries from the World-Systems Theory. It

employs the World-Systems Theory concept of core and periphery countries. The notion is that

third-world countries export resources to wealthy first-world countries not because they are in

the early stages of development, but because they are a part of the World-System as an

underdeveloped country.
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The world is now a busy place where events can have much further effects. Globalization can

be regarded as a means that will lead to a more interdependent world in the future as countries

grow more reliant. Henceforward, nations may form an independent, unified global civilization.
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References

Martínez-Vela, C. A. (2001). World-systems theory. Encyclopedia of Geography.

https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412939591.n1261

Chase-Dunn, C., & Grimes, P. (1995). World-Systems Analysis. Retrieved November 9,

2021, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/2083416.

Modernization theory - globalization theory. Globalization Theory - Competition, Environment,

Authority, and Critics - JRank Articles. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2021, from

https://science.jrank.org/pages/10275/Modernization-Theory-Globalization-Theory.html.