RETHINKING THE THIRD WORLD: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK TO UNDERSTAND CHANGE AND CONTINUITY IN THE THIRD WORLD

Year 2012, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 195 - 203, 01.06.2012

İrem Aşkar Karakır

Abstract

What do we mean with the term, the ‘Third World’? What has really changed in the Third World since the end of the Cold War and what are the major explanations of change? Have these changes also led to a change in the definition of the Third World in terms of either its boundaries or its major characteristics? Is the scope of the term limited with the experiences and conditions of the states? How have International Relation theories perceived the Third World? In an effort to outline answers and explanations with respect to these above-mentioned questions, this paper aims to analyze the relevance of the term, the ‘Third World’ in the aftermath of the Cold War. Analysis of the term in the post-Cold War Context is divided into three sections. Questioning the validity of talking about a single Third World, the first section addresses major areas of change in the Third World. In the second section, existence and expansion of Third World conditions within the territories of industrialized countries is examined. Finally, the last section focuses on how International Relations theories have perceived the Third World and an alternative approach to understand the relevance of underdeveloped/developing states within international politics

Keywords

The Third World, Conceptualizing the Third World, International Relations Theory and the Third World

References

• Ayoob, Mohammed (2002), “Inequality and Theorizing in International Relations: the Case for Subaltern Realism”, International Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp.27-48.
• Ayoob, Mohammed (1995), The Third World Security Predicament: State Making, Regional Conflict, and the International System, London: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
• Berger, Mark T. (1994), “The End of the ‘Third World’?”, Third World Quarterly, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp.257-275.
• Blight, James G. and Thomas G. Weiss (1992), “Must the Grass Still Suffer? Some Thoughts on Third World Conflicts after the Cold War”, Third World Quarterly, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp.229-248.
• Brown, Chris (2000), “The Modern Requirement? Reflections on normative international theory in a post-Western world”, (in: Andrew Linklater-Ed, International Relations Critical Concepts Vol.V,), London: Routledge, pp.2079-2089.
• Buzan, Barry (1998), “Conclusions: System versus Units in Theorizing about the Third World”, (in: Stephanie G. Neuman-Ed., International Relations Theory and the Third World), New York: St. Martin’s Press, pp.213-230.
• Cox, Robert (1999), “Civil Society at the Turn of the Millennium: Prospects for an Alternative World Order”, Review of International Studies, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp.3-28.
• Fawcett, Louise and Yezid Sayigh (1999), “Introduction”, (in: Louise Fawcett and Yezid Sayigh-Eds., The Third World beyond the Cold War,), Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.1-11.
• Fawcett, Louise (1999), “Conclusion: Whither the Third World?”, (in: Louise Fawcett and Yezid Sayigh-Eds., The Third World beyond the Cold War,), Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.234-246.
• Holm, Hans-Henrik (1990), “The End of the Third World?”, Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 27, No. 1, pp.1-7.
• Hurrell, Andrew (1999), “Security and Inequality”, (in: Andrew Hurrell and, Ngaire Woods-Eds, Inequality, Globalization and World Politics,) Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.248-271.
• Randall, Vicky (1992), “Third World: Rejected or rediscovered?”, Third World Quarterly, Vol.13, No.4, pp.727-730.
• Smith, Steve (2004), “Singing our World into Existence: International Relations Theory and September 11”, International Studies Quarterly, Vol. 48, No. 3, pp.499-515.
• Tabah, Leon (1991), “Alfred Sauvy: Statistician, Economist, Demographer and Iconoclast (1898-1990)”, Population Studies, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp.353-357.
• Thomas, Caroline (1999), “Where is the Third World Now?”, Review of International Studies, Vol:25, No:5, pp.225-244.
• Ulack, Chris (2011), “The Arab Spring’s looming refugee crisis”, Foreign Policy, http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/06/23/the_arab_spring_s_looming_refugee_
• crisis, [Accessed 20.03.2012]