World Systems Theory

World systems theory (WST) is an interdisciplinary theoretical approach that advances an integrated framework for examining the development and evolution of the modern world under the transformative cultural, political, and economic effects of capitalism. Founding theorist Immanuel Wallerstein (1974) defined a world system as

Four fundamental conceptions are at the heart of WST. First, a world system is one social system with many interlocking parts. Contemporary polities are not societies, but pieces of one socioeconomic system expanding in the interests of capital. Second, a world system is characterized by economic conflict between varying polities, with the market as the chief stratifying force. Polities vie for access to, and control over, goods and services, while their uneven positions within the market produce distinct political and cultural effects. Third, a world system is structured by a core, semi-periphery, and periphery. The core consists of advanced liberal democratic societies that are industrialized, whereas the periphery remains underdeveloped and exploited for its labor and natural resources. The semi-periphery lies between the core and periphery and has more access to necessary goods and services but little control over the division of labor and flow of power to the core. Fourth, cycles of growth, contraction, contradiction, and crisis affect the evolution of a world system. Eventually, the world system of today will give way to an alternative social order.

WST's methodological approach draws from the fields of history, sociology, economics, and area studies. It has become a popular tool among scholars interested in the large-scale and long-term conceptions of historical development of global society, critical understanding of the evolution and plight of developing nations, and identity and identity formation within the social sphere. This [Page 894]entry discusses the rise of the modern world system, the theoretical influences and criticisms of WST, and the role of WST in identity and identity formation studies.