Triggered by the profound financial and economic crises, increasing ecological degradation, rising social struggles, and political and military conflicts, the structures of the world political economy seem to be, in the early 21st century, in a process of epoch-making transformation. Employing a world-historical and comparative perspective, this book's contributions deal with three core issues of global structures and dynamics: the degree of stability and change of global hierarchical structures and economic and social inequalities; the transformation of global and national political structures; and the global ecological change and its impact on the structures of the world economy, the world polity, and the world society. (Series: World Society Studies - Vol. 5) Subject: Political Economy, International Affairs]