Sociology 181 World-systems and Globalization C. Chase-Dunn Fall 2007

Research Paper

Twenty-five percent of your grade in Sociology 181 is based on a short (less than 10 pp. typed, double-spaced) research paper that studies the socio-economic structure of a premodern world-system (see below). Describe the main structural, institutional and cultural aspects of a particular premodern world-system of your choosing.

v Focus on a particular group of people and estimate the spatial boundaries of the bulk goods network, the political-military network, the prestige goods network and the information network of which this focal group is a part.

v Discuss the question of core/periphery relations in the system you are studying.

v Briefly characterize the main technological and social characteristics and institutions of the people you are studying. What kinds of interactional links are there between local and regional groups? Take into account the focal group’s relationships with other regions, its prior history, and contending interests within the system. You could also discuss the nature of the settlement system in the world-system you are studying. Be sure to include a bibliography with citations of the information sources you use to study your world-system.

If you choose a world-system for which there is a voluminous literature, narrow your focus to a fairly short time period (say 100 years or so). Begin by describing the structure of the system at a single point in time and then move to a discussion of the dynamics of change.

Each student should prepare a short written statement that briefly specifies the location, time period and spatial boundaries of the premodern world-system you plan to study. This should be turned in on October 23 along with the citations for two or three sources of information from the library that you will use for your paper and your email address. The final paper should be no longer than 10 typed, double-spaced pages. of text, not including maps and bibliography. Your paper is due on November 27. Please include a bibliography.

An examples of studies of premodern world-systems can be found at

http://www.irows.ucr.edu/workpaptoc.htm IROWS Working Papers #2 and #4.

A premodern world-system is defined as outside the modern Europe-centered world-system. So anything before 1500 BCE is fine, and after that year any region is ok as long as it has not been importantly changed by interaction with Europeans.

Read the list of requirements above several times during the period in which you are working on your paper and be sure to do each of the things that are requested.