Poland as a periphery in Immanuel Wallerstein’s theory

The article presents the issue of peripheries and its reference to Poland’s position in the world-system concept of Immanuel Wallerstein. The article discusses problems related to international security of Poland. It also presents the perception of Poland as a peripheral country and, on the basis of theoretical considerations, argues for the possibility of viewing Poland as a semi-peripheral country. Publication financed under the project implemented in the Research Grant Program of the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland.

Global Capitalism and the Lahures : A Study of Modernity in Anagarik, a Film Directed by Rambabu Gurung

The Nepali men, also known as the Gorkhas, who joined the colonial British army during and after the Anglo-Nepal War (1814-16), are considered the first foreign economic migrants. These Nepali men, who used to be popularly known as Lahures in their villages, proved to be one of the major harbingers of modernity in Nepal. Since the 1990s, other types of Nepali economic migrants, along with these Lahures, have shaped the Nepali modernity. Against this backdrop, this paper analyzes the Lahure culture in Rambabu Gurung’s debut film Anagarik [The Unbecoming Citizen] in the light of discourses of modernity. Locating the Lahure culture in the national as well as international historical contexts, this study fleshes out a few major findings. Firstly, the Lahure culture is a significant factor, which has heralded and sustained modernity in Nepal. Secondly, it connected Nepal to the world outside even during the Rana rule. Thirdly, the recent trend of Nepalis migrating abroad for employment is nothing but the variation as well as continuation of the same Lahure culture. Fourthly, the Lahure culture is symptomatic of Nepal’s status as a peripheral country in the capitalist world order. This paper is expected to contribute to the ongoing debates surrounding modernity, international migration and Nepal's position in the global capitalist order.

China: Imperialism or Semi-Periphery?

Whether China has become an imperialist country is a question of crucial importance for the global class struggle. Although China has developed an exploitative relationship with South Asia, Africa, and other raw material exporters, on the whole, China continues to transfer a greater amount of surplus value to the core countries in the capitalist world system than it receives from the periphery. China is thus best described as a semi-peripheral country in the capitalist world system.

‘The Spanish Analogy’: Imagining the Future in State Socialist Hungary, 1948–1989

For four decades Spain played an important role in debates over the future of politics, culture and economy in state socialist Hungary, particularly for the left: first as the fascist and underdeveloped ‘other’ against which the state socialist regime legitimised itself, then as a similarly peripheral country that had managed to integrate into global economy, return culturally to Europe and peacefully establish democracy. Close relationships developed between the Spanish socialists and Hungarian communists in the 1980s and offered the latter the hope they would survive any political transition. This article demonstrates the importance of Eastern–Southern European connections – both concrete and imagined – in sustaining, and then overcoming, Europe's post-war divides.

’n Verkenning van Suid-Afrika se veranderende posisie in die wêreldhandelnetwerk 1948–1994

An exploration of South Africa’s changing position in the World Trade Network 1948–1994. The World Trade Network (WTN) has been studied as a network in numerous studies. However, countries with smaller economies are usually neglected in discussions of the WTN, and hence this article investigates the changing position of a much smaller country, South Africa, under different leaders from 1948 to 1994. It is shown, in particular, how the widespread sanctions incurred under the leadership of P.W. Botha (1978–1989) had a profound effect on South Africa’s position in the WTN. Using degree, closeness and betweenness centralities, as well as the country’s rankings on these centrality measures, it is shown that South Africa started as a peripheral country while still a colony of Britain, moved closer to the core of the WTN under H.F. Verwoerd and B.J. Vorster, but then sanctions pushed South Africa to the periphery under P.W. Botha, before South Africa again moved closer to the core during F.W. de Klerk’s presidency.Die Wêreldhandelnetwerk is in verskeie studies as ’n netwerk bestudeer, maar lande met kleiner ekonomieë word gewoonlik in die besprekings van die Wêreldhandelnetwerk verwaarloos. Daarom ondersoek hierdie artikel die veranderende posisie van ’n veel kleiner land, Suid-Afrika, onder verskillende leiers van 1948 tot 1994. Daar word veral gewys hoe die wydverspreide sanksies wat ingestel is tydens die bewind van P.W. Botha (1978–1989) ’n groot invloed op Suid-Afrika se posisie in die WTN gehad het. Deur middel van graad-, nabyheid- en tussenliggingsentraliteit, sowel as die land se ranglys ten opsigte van hierdie sentraliteitaanduiders, word aangetoon dat Suid-Afrika as ‘n randland begin het, terwyl dit nog ‘n kolonie van Brittanje was, nader aan die kern van die Wêreldhandelnetwerk onder H.F. Verwoerd en B.J. Vorster beweeg het, maar toe het sanksies Suid-Afrika onder P.W. Botha na die periferie gedruk, voordat Suid-Afrika weer tydens die F.W. de Klerk se presidentskap nader aan die kern beweeg het.