Reconstruction of the world-system theory in the context of the integration processes of modern Eurasia

Abstract

Introduction . Immanuel Wallerstein's world-system theory is one of the most well-known macrosociological paradigms describing the phenomena and structures of historical dynamics. The article aims to generalize the Wallerstein's results on the basis of the analysis of geopolitical and geo-economic interstate integration within the framework of contemporary Eurasia. The first notion to reconsider is the concept of the "core" of the world system which is analyzed in the context of the "duocentric" model of geopolitics that has been formed in the last few years by the special political role played now by the United States and China. Materials and Methods. The methodological basis of the study is the concept of the "world-system" by I. Wallerstein. We understand the concept of the "world-system" as a research program by I. Lakatos and analyze its positive heuristics, putting forward auxiliary hypotheses that suggest a "more complex" model of "reality", in order to show the progressive nature of the concept of the "world-system" as a program. As the main "empirical of the most important features of the landscape of the described interaction of states – its multipolarity. None of the states, even those which are a part of or solely the core of the world system, are free from being subject of influence from another "center of power", the formation of which can be ensured by the fact that even those states that traditionally make up the "periphery" can organize or be involved in various integration processes. reported study