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Key Ideas for Building a Scientific Theory of Inter-Societal Dynamics

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Inter-Societal Dynamics

Part of the book series: Emerging Globalities and Civilizational Perspectives ((EGCP))

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Abstract

This chapter discusses important theoretical perspectives of inter-societal systems for creating a general theory of inter-societal dynamics. Based on the early work of Herbert Spencer and Ibin Khaldun, geo-political dynamics were fundamental forces in human societal evolution and the development of inter-societal systems. Contemporary theoretical approaches from Peter Turchin, Fernand Braudel, Randall Collins, Christopher Chase-Dunn, Amos Hawley, and Gerhard Lenski emphasize the dynamics of inter-societal conflict, market evolution, and ecology as essential factors driving geo-politics and geo-economics in inter-societal systems. And more recently, the world society perspective extends these perspectives by emphasizing the importance of cultural dynamics and formations in inter-societal systems. Accordingly, this chapter reformulates and synthesizes these perspectives for developing a general theory of inter-societal dynamics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA

    Jonathan H. Turner

  2. Department of Sociology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Anthony J. Roberts

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  1. Jonathan H. Turner
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  2. Anthony J. Roberts
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Correspondence to Jonathan H. Turner .

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Turner, J.H., Roberts, A.J. (2023). Key Ideas for Building a Scientific Theory of Inter-Societal Dynamics. In: Inter-Societal Dynamics. Emerging Globalities and Civilizational Perspectives. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12448-8_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12448-8_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-12447-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-12448-8

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