semipériphérie

Semipériphérie is a term used in sociology and geography, particularly within dependency theory, to describe countries that exhibit characteristics of both the core and periphery of the global economic system. These nations are not fully industrialized and integrated into the global capitalist economy like core countries, nor are they entirely dependent and underdeveloped like peripheral countries. Instead, they occupy an intermediate position, often serving as sites for the outsourcing of industrial production from core nations while also exploiting resources and labor from more peripheral regions.

Countries in the semipériphérie are typically characterized by a mixed economy. They may have some advanced industrial sectors and a degree of technological development, but they also retain significant agricultural or resource-extractive sectors. Their economies are often integrated into global supply chains, but in a subordinate role, providing manufactured goods or raw materials to core countries. This integration can lead to economic growth, but it is often uneven and can exacerbate internal inequalities.

The concept of semipériphérie highlights the complex and hierarchical nature of the global economy. It suggests that the world system is not a simple binary division between rich and poor nations, but rather a more nuanced structure with intermediate zones that play a crucial role in mediating the relationship between the core and the periphery. These nations can be seen as a buffer, absorbing some of the pressures from the core and transmitting them to the periphery. They may also experience upward or downward mobility within the global hierarchy.