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568 Daniele Andreozzi

1. Peripheries, practices, networks

The emergence of the current globalisation phase and, at the
beginning of the 21st century, the outbreak of systemic crisis have
propelled spatial themes to the forefront of historical debate once
again. At the same time, the crisis of Fordism and of 19th-20th century
capitalism itself has questioned the certain and fixed fordist borders
between states, society and production and the fordist spatial
homogeneities and hierarchies. These new scenarios has opened up
the potential for new hypotheses and points of view, casting doubt on
winning models, hierarchies and theological readings.
In this context, ‘periphery’ and ‘global’ are apparently contradictory
spatial concepts. They allow analyses based on a dense reading of the
relationships existing between them to be constructed. The two
concepts also require us to face up the questions posed by their
possible meanings and uses. In fact, the word ‘periphery’ frequently
conjures up predominantly vertical hierarchical relationships; for
example sometimes it is hypothesized the existence of a North
Atlantic, modernising and civilising centre organising and regulating
the peripheries, including the Mediterranean and southern and
eastern Europe, depicted as backward and marginal. In this way,
objective, modern, winning institutions and practices are juxtaposed
with backward practices and institutions hinging on personal
relations and destined to failure. Moreover, this dissemination and
disciplining process has frequently been made to coincide with the
dissemination of the capitalist economy characterised by the
1
affirmation of natural and objective laws .
In the face of this top-down reading, the historical world has
juxtaposed the spatial readings of Fernand Braudel and Immanuel
Wallerstein based on economic world concepts. According to this point
of view, centre and periphery are linked by complex functional systemic
relationships; it is still a hierarchical system, but one determined by
interconnections and reciprocal influences. Furthermore, a systemic

1 M. Fusaro, Maritime History as global History? The methodological challenges and a
future research agenda and R. Grafe, Turning maritime history into global history. Some
conclusions from the impact of globalisation in early modern Spain, in M. Fusaro, A. Polo-
nia (eds.), Maritime History as Global History, IMEHA, St. John, Newfoundland, Canada,
2010, pp. 267-282 and pp. 249-266; D. Acemoglu, S. Johnson, J.A. Robinson, The rise
of Europe. Atlantic trade, institutional change, and economic growth, «American Economic
Review», 95 (2005), pp. 546-79.

Mediterranea - ricerche storiche - Anno XV - Dicembre 2018 n.44
ISSN 1824-3010 (stampa) ISSN 1828-230X (online)