Wallerstein after ’68

This article examines the intellectual foundations of Immanuel Wallerstein’s world-systems analysis, focusing on the formative period of the late 1960s and 1970s. It traces how Wallerstein’s evolving engagement with Marxism—shaped through dialogue and debate with contemporary scholars—contributed to the development of his theoretical framework. Rather than treating Marxism as a fixed doctrine, Wallerstein approached it as a method of critical inquiry, adapting and extending it to better account for the historical dynamics of the capitalist world-economy. By situating his work within key academic debates of the era, the article highlights the central role Marxist thought played in shaping both his conceptual innovations and his enduring political commitments.