I think that it would be interesting to see how religion would play into the world system. It is possible that we would see alliances and divisions based on differences in religion. Maybe when each culture is being created and they decide on a religion, they can determine if they would be the kind of culture that would want to prostelytize those with different beliefs or if they would just keep to themsleves in that sense. Because as we look at colonization and globalization I think that we see that especially with Christianity, as commerce spreads so does Chrisitanity. Also as we have immigrations of refugees they would bring with them their religion into their new state, and so there could be internal divisions based on differences in beliefs. So as the world sim plays out we will see how different states/the world reacts to differences in beliefs, and how they can either work together, or how it may keep a state from functioning as a whole.
One example of how religion has played into the globalization of our world is in Ecuador(and elsewhere) where missionaries (working with the monetary aid of oil companies) witnessed to and pacified the Huaorani indians who had previouslly resisted the encroachment of oil companies. After they were pacified the oil companies could then begin drilling in the area without fear of the Indians, and now the land has been destroyed and the Huaorani culture has been completely chaned. And so in this case the spread of Christianity facilitated the work of the oil companies.
mwesch wrote:
> Hi class,
> Post your world simulation ideas here. Read Wallerstein, Lappe & Collins, and the first 2 pages of Wolf. Using the ideas you gather there, re-write the rules and post them here.