4th World
Encyclopedia
The Fourth World refers to
, Second World
, and Third World
hierarchy of nation-state status; however, unlike the former categories, Fourth World is not spatially bounded, and is usually used to refer to populations whose size and shape does not map onto citizenship in a specific nation-state. It can denote nation
s without a sovereign state
, emphasising the non-recognition and exclusion of ethnically- and religiously-defined peoples from the politico-economic world system, e.g. the Romani people worldwide, the Basque
, Sami
, pre-First World War
Ashkenazi Jews
in the Pale of Settlement
, the Assyrians
, and the Kurds in the Middle East
, Pashtun
throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan, the indigenous peoples of the Americas
and First Nations
groups throughout North, Central and South America, and indigenous Africans and Asians. Spanish sociologist Manuel Castells
of the University of Southern California
Annenberg School for Communication has made extensive use of the term fourth world'.
n High Commission
, that "When Native peoples come into their own, on the basis of their own cultures and traditions, that will be the Fourth World," in conversation with Manuel.
Since publication of The Fourth World: An Indian Reality (1974), by George Manuel
, Chief of the National Indian Brotherhood and Assembly of First Nations
, the term Fourth World is synonymous with stateless, poor, and marginal nations. Since 1979, think tanks such as the Center for World Indigenous Studies
have used the term in defining the relationships between ancient, tribal
, and non-industrial nations and modern industrialised nation-states. With the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
, communications and organizing amongst Fourth World peoples have accelerated in the form of international treaties between aboriginal nations for the purposes of trade, travel, and security.
Technologically speaking, Castells uses the term "Fourth World" to represent the people in regions that are bypassed by most forms of technology. These people reside both in urban and rural areas, and are viewed as structurally irrelevant in our society as they neither produce nor consume what is considered important in a globalized and technologically connected world. There are many ways to attempt to bridge this "digital divide", such as proliferation of mobile phone services amongst populations previously without connectivity.
- sub-populations socially excluded from global societyGlobal societyGlobal society - all-human society, which exists on our planet from the beginnings of humanity in the form of many local societies and communities, national states etc., in another words - in the form of different groups of people....
; - nomadic, pastoral, and hunter-gatherer peoples living beyond the modern industrial norm.
- 4th World can also refer to sub populations, existing in a First World country, with the living standards of those of the Third World, or developing countries.
Etymology
Fourth World follows the First WorldFirst World
The concept of the First World first originated during the Cold War, where it was used to describe countries that were aligned with the United States. These countries were democratic and capitalistic. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the term "First World" took on a...
, Second World
Second World
The term "Second World" is a phrase used to describe those countries which are allied with or are supported by the "First World" countries . These include countries supported by the United States, such as Colombia, Israel, etc., and those supported by the former Soviet Union, also known as the the...
, and Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
hierarchy of nation-state status; however, unlike the former categories, Fourth World is not spatially bounded, and is usually used to refer to populations whose size and shape does not map onto citizenship in a specific nation-state. It can denote nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
s without a sovereign state
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
, emphasising the non-recognition and exclusion of ethnically- and religiously-defined peoples from the politico-economic world system, e.g. the Romani people worldwide, the Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
, Sami
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
, pre-First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
in the Pale of Settlement
Pale of Settlement
The Pale of Settlement was the term given to a region of Imperial Russia, in which permanent residency by Jews was allowed, and beyond which Jewish permanent residency was generally prohibited...
, the Assyrians
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
, and the Kurds in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan, the indigenous peoples of the Americas
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
and First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
groups throughout North, Central and South America, and indigenous Africans and Asians. Spanish sociologist Manuel Castells
Manuel Castells
Manuel Castells is a sociologist especially associated with information society and communication research....
of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
Annenberg School for Communication has made extensive use of the term fourth world'.
Coinage
The term originated with a remark by Mbuto Milando, first secretary of the TanzaniaTanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
n High Commission
High Commissioner (Commonwealth)
In the Commonwealth of Nations, a High Commissioner is the senior diplomat in charge of the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth government to another.-History:...
, that "When Native peoples come into their own, on the basis of their own cultures and traditions, that will be the Fourth World," in conversation with Manuel.
Since publication of The Fourth World: An Indian Reality (1974), by George Manuel
George Manuel
George Manuel, OC was an Aboriginal leader in Canada. In the 1970s, he was chief of the National Indian Brotherhood .-Biography:...
, Chief of the National Indian Brotherhood and Assembly of First Nations
Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations , formerly known as the National Indian Brotherhood, is a body of First Nations leaders in Canada...
, the term Fourth World is synonymous with stateless, poor, and marginal nations. Since 1979, think tanks such as the Center for World Indigenous Studies
Center for World Indigenous Studies
The Center for World Indigenous Studies is a non-profit American organization. It was founded in 1984 by Dr. Rudolph C. Ryser, Ph.D. and Chief George Manuel as an independent research and education organization...
have used the term in defining the relationships between ancient, tribal
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
, and non-industrial nations and modern industrialised nation-states. With the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly during its 62nd session at UN Headquarters in New York City on 13 September 2007....
, communications and organizing amongst Fourth World peoples have accelerated in the form of international treaties between aboriginal nations for the purposes of trade, travel, and security.
Technologically speaking, Castells uses the term "Fourth World" to represent the people in regions that are bypassed by most forms of technology. These people reside both in urban and rural areas, and are viewed as structurally irrelevant in our society as they neither produce nor consume what is considered important in a globalized and technologically connected world. There are many ways to attempt to bridge this "digital divide", such as proliferation of mobile phone services amongst populations previously without connectivity.