The Modern World-System
Soc 506
Fall 1999

Dr. Gonzalo F. Santos
Office: DDH-AA205    Phone: (661) 664-2191
Office Hours: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm, MWF, or by appointment
Web Site: http://www.csubak.edu/~gsantos/
Email: santos_class@csub.edu

TEXTBOOKS 

• Various Authors. Web readings in Dr. Santos' web site; URL: http//www.csubak.edu/~gsantos/readings-506.html

• Sing C. Chew & Robert A. Denemark, eds.. 1996. The Underdevelopment of Development. Essays in Honor of Andre Gunder Frank. Sage.

• Giovanni Arrighi & Beverly J. Silver. 1999. Chaos and Governance in the Modern World System. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

• Immanuel Wallerstein. 1999. The End of the World as We Know It. Social Science for the Twenty-First Century. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

This course is an advanced study of some of the theories about, and the historico-structural life processes of, the modern world. The nature of modern times is analyzed from the perspective of historical sociology, that is, from the perspective of long-term, large-scale social change and social structure. We first explore the basic tenets and insights of the world-system's perspective (WSP), as developed originally by the Latin American and other dependentistas and by Immanuel Wallerstein and his Braudel Center associates at Binghamton University, as a critical alternative to liberal thought, structural functionalism, and modernization theory in the last quarter of the XXth Century. We branch into various dialogues with one of the founders of the WSP, Andre Gunder Frank. We then analyze the contemporary structural-governance processes of the modern world-system, from the latest book by world-system's theorist Giovanni Arrighi and his associates. Finally, we explore Wallerstein's latest book on the future relation between the world of capitalism and the worlds of social science & social struggle.

Classes: The course will be run as a seminar. All students are expected to come fully prepared to discuss in depth the assigned readings for the day, but starting on the second week, two students will make class presentations (of 20 to 30 minutes in duration each) on the two assigned readings for each session. Dr. Santos will contribute as a respondent and add his own knowledge and prespective to each presentation. Class discussion will follow. Presenting students must distribute copies of their presentation outlines, which should be no more than two pages long and following a highly structured format of headings and subheadings - not the text of the oral presentation itself. Student presentations will be evaluated for the organizational and analytical quality of the outlines, as well as the accuracy, critical thinking, thoroughness, and clarity of the presentations.

All students - presenters and respondents - are expected to share their prepared notes, questions, thoughts and insights on the substantive and methodological issues raised by the assigned readings. Attendance is mandatory but much more mandatory is to come prepared to class. Unauthorized absences (especially when scheduled to present), tardiness, and/or early departures, as well as lack of preparation and lack of participation will be noted and eventually penalized.
 

Exams: Students will be given three take-home essay exams: on Ocober 7 (due Oct. 26), October 28 (due Nov. 16), and November 23 (due Dec. 3). All the exams will be broad essay questions based on the lectures, discussions, and readings. Students can re-submit corrected and improved versions of their first and second exams on November 23. All exam essays must be written on a word processor and will be evaluated or accuracy, thoroughness, analytical quality, and clarity.
 

Grading: Each exam is worth 20 points. Class participation is worth 40 points. The final letter grade will be assigned, on a scale of 0 to 100, as follows:
 

Office hours: All students are encouraged to visit the instructor regularly during his office hours posted above or by appointment, especially to make sure their class presentations are well focused, the texts assigned, and the exams given.