Tensions Between Development and Exploitation Through a World-Systems Theoretical Perspective : Comparative Analysis On Land Grabbing in Brazil and Ethiopia

Abstract: Within International Relations, the phenomenon of land grabbing has become a key developmental issue. After reading the existing literature and research on land grabbing, the lack of empirical examples through case selection is clearly noticed. There are many perspectives in which one can analyze the consequences of land grabbing, through vulnerabilities to environmental ramifications. The world-systems theory argues that there have always been a variety of forms of labor within the functioning divisions of labor the world economy from a capitalist position. This theory supports the claim that foreign investors in the core countries exploit the land and labor of the countries in the semi-periphery and periphery zones. This thesis presents an analysis of the findings through consideration from the theoretical framework of the world-systems theory and its relation to the characteristics of exploitation and development in Brazil and Ethiopia comparatively. Moreover, through highlighting the variables in which land grabbing can be examined by, these empirical investigations will deepen our understanding of development and exploitation in relation to contemporary globalization.