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Immanuel Wallerstein's World-System theory made a big impact on International Political Economy when it was first formulated in the early 1980s. Although subsequently criticised, the recent demise of the Soviet system's historic attempt to delink from global capitalism has provided a perhaps unanticipated confirmation of the profundity of its insights. Now with this new book, Wallerstein and a team of colleagues from the Fernand Braudel Center for the Study of Economies, Historical Systems and Civilizations take world-system theory a major step forward.
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ABOUT THIS BOOK Is there a crisis of world capitalism in our time, or has a truly global economy finally begun to pay off on the original promise of the greateS[ good for the greatest number? Has the leader of that global realm, the Unites States, reached the end of its hegemonic predominance, or is it in the robust midd1e age of its tenure, now bereft of serious antagonists? The oudook of its authors is at once compelling and gloomy, a prophecy of a coming age of turmoil and disorder. Like Fukuyama's The End of History, this book will provoke a lively debate; unlike Fukuyama,
Hopkins and Wallerstein know that we may forget about history, but history will not forget about us. BRUCE CUMINGS
John Evans Profmor of lnttrnational HiJtory and PrJ/itics, Northwulern Uninm'!J
ABOUT THE AUTHORS IMMANUEL WALLERSTEIN is Director of the Fernand Braude! Center for the Study of Economies, Historical Systems, and Civilizations, and Distinguished Professor of Sociology, at Binghamton University. President (1994-98) of the International Sociological Association, he chaired the Gulbenlcian Commission for the Restructuring of the Social Sciences in 1993-95, which led to the publication of its Report, Open tht Jqda/ Sdencet (Stanford University Press 1996). He is perhaps most well known for his pioneering theoretical work on the world-system, notably his TIN Modem World--»•.rtem, 3 volumes (Academic Press 1974, 1980, 1989). His recent books include GeopolitiCs and GMfn/Jure (Cambridge University Press 1991) and UnthhliUng Soda/ Science: TIN limit! of Ninettefllh-CmtNry Paradigms (Polity 1991).
TERENCE K. HoPKINS is the founder and long-time Director of the Graduate Programme in Sociology (world-historical change) at Binghamton University. He is also a member of the Executive Board of the Femand Bcaudel Center for the Study of Economies, Historical Systems, and Civilizations, Before going to Binghamton, he taught at Columbia University and the University of the West Indies. He is coauthor of Wor/d-.tfstemt Anafysis.
JOHN CASPARIS is Associate Professor of Sociology at Binghamton University. GEORGI M. DERLUGIAN is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University. RICHARD LEE is Scientific Secretary of the Gulbenkian Commission for the Restructuring of the Social Sciences. The remaining authors- SATOSHI IKEDA, SHEILA PELIZZON, THOMAS REIFER, JAMIE SUDLER and fARUK TABAK- are all Research Associates of the Fttnand Braudd Center.
THE AGE OF TRANSITION Trajectory o/ the Wor!d-0Jstem, 1945-2025
Coordinated ly Terence K. Hopkins and Immanuel Wallerstein with John Casparis Georgi M. Derlugian Satoshi Ikeda Richard Lee Sheila Pelizzon Thomas Reifer Jamie Sudler Faruk Tabak
ZED BOOKS Londrm & Ne~~~ jm(J
PLUTO PRESS AUSTRALIA
'llle Age of Transition was first published in 1996 by Zed Books Ltd, 7 Cynthia Street, London Nl 9JF, UK, and 165 First Avenue, Adantic Highlands, New Jersey 07716, USA, and in Australia and New Zealand by Pluto Press Australia, PO Box 199, Lcichbardt, NSW 2040, Austtallil Copyright 0 Fernand Braude! Center for the Study of Economies, Hiscorica! Systems, and Civilil'!adons, 1996 Covet designed by Andrew Corbett Typeset in Monot}-pe Garamond by Lucy Morton, London SE12 Printed