Albert Bergesen

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About

Albert Bergesen is a distinguished sociologist whose research bridges cultural analysis, world-systems theory, and the sociology of religion. His key contributions lie in examining how global power shifts intersect with civilizational frameworks, challenging conventional narratives of hegemonic transition. In his widely discussed work, "Godzilla, Durkheim, and the World-System" (2016), Bergesen provocatively argues that the rise and fall of hegemons like Spain, Holland, and Britain occurred within the cultural boundaries of Western Civilization, but the late 20th century presented a radical departure: the potential ascent of a non-Western hegemon—Japan—succeeding the United States. This piece, though modestly cited (3 citations), exemplifies his bold theoretical synthesis of Émile Durkheim’s collective representations with Immanuel Wallerstein’s world-systems analysis. Bergesen’s broader oeuvre includes pioneering work on the cultural dimensions of global inequality, the sociology of art, and the ritualistic underpinnings of social order. His scholarship has been instrumental in expanding world-systems theory beyond economic and political domains, integrating cultural and symbolic dynamics. For students and researchers, Bergesen offers a compelling lens to understand how civilizations, not just nations, shape the trajectory of global power.