If You Shouldn’t Call it Third World, What Should You Call It If You Shouldn’t Call it Third World, What Should You Call It? Jing Wei NPR News

Reading Task: 1) Historically, when did the terms, first, second and third world come about? 2) Who is represented in the first, second, and third world? 3) What did the third world come to represent? 4) Why is the 1-2-3 system out of date? 5) Why do people accept the label, developing, instead? Why do people still disagree with the label? 6) Why wouldn’t a term such as, global south, be a better alternative? 7) What are other terms groups have created? Do any of those work better?

Immanuel Wallerstein World Systems Theory Theory of a global core, periphery and semiperiphery Economic & political Development occurred faster in global core due to exposure to new technologies Core Periphery Model maps level of development Underdeveloped countries (periphery) dependent on… Developed countries (core) Still exists and can be spatially examined

Polar Projection

Characteristics Core Periphery High GDP per capita Tertiary sector or above High literacy rates Low CBRs In-migration Gender equality Democratic Colonizers Low GDP per capita Primary/secondary sector Low literacy rates High CBRs Out-migration Gender roles Not democratic Colonies/colonized Core

Examples Core Periphery Countries Regions Countries Regions Peru United States U.K. Belgium Germany France Canada Regions North America Western Europe Countries Peru Democratic Republic of Congo Yemen North Korea Afghanistan Regions Sub-Saharan Africa Core

Semiperiphery Wallerstein’s theory called for core, periphery & semiperiphery Over time, the semiperiphery has grown, as the periphery has dwindled Semiperiphery shares characteristics of both core & periphery Countries: BRIC Brazil Russia India China Others (MINTS) Mexico South Africa Indonesia Nigeria Turkey

Excerpt from: TRANSNATIOANL CORPORATIONS, DEPENDENT DEVELOPMENT, AND STATE POLICY IN THE SEMIPERIPHERY By Gary Gereffi, Duke University Peter Evans, Brown University