Tom Reifer

Tom Reifer is currently Assistant Professor of Sociology and an Affiliated Faculty in the Ethnic Studies program, as well as a member of the Advisory Committee, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice (NGO with Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations), at the University of San Diego (USD). He was formerly co-director of the Gender Studies Program at USD.

He got his BA at University California, Santa Cruz and his MA and PhD. from Binghamton University, where he has been a long time Research Associate at the Fernand Braudel Center for the Study of Economies, Historical Systems, and Civilizations. Formerly he was Associate Director of the Institute for Research on World-Systems, and the Program on Global Studies (the local branch of the U.C. Institute on Global Conflict & Cooperation), at the University of California Riverside, where he was also a member of the Sociology Department and Associated Faculty, Political Economy and Global Social Change (PEGSC), Specialized Program of Study within the Sociology graduate program, U.C. Riverside. He was also the Managing Editor of the Journal of World-Systems Research.

From 2001-2003, he was a Senior Research Associate at Focus on the Global South, living in Asia for most of 2001 and traveling extensively throughout the region. He is currently a member, Industry Studies Community, Affiliate of the Alfred P. Sloan Industry Studies Program, Committee for Industry Studies. He has been a Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Boston College.

He has also been a long-time activist in the anti-nuclear movement, as well as a rank and file trade union activist. He was an organizer for District 65/UAW and was twice elected President of the Graduate Student Employees Union/Communication Workers of America, Local 1188, at the State University of New York (representing 4,000 persons), in which capacity he helped found and led the Citizens Mobilization to Save New York, a coalition of some 60 different community and labor organizations dedicated to fighting cuts to the state budget and restoring essential services for health, education and human welfare. Earlier he served as the National Student Organizer for the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES), where was on the student subcommittee for the National Mobilization for Peace & Justice in Central America & Southern Africa, which held massive demonstrations in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco on April 27, 1987. He has been active in a wide variety of social movements and publishes widely on global peace and social justice issues.

Books

Bruce Podobnik and Thomas Reifer, editors, Transforming Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities in the Post 9/11 Era, Series, Studies in Critical Social Science, Brill Academic Press, 2005.

Thomas Ehrlich Reifer, ed., Globalization, Hegemony & Power: Antisystemic Movements and the Global System, Boulder, London, Paradigm Publishers, 2004.

Thomas Reifer, Violence, Profits and Power. Under contract from the Johns Hopkins University Press. In progress.

Tom Reifer. War & the American System. In progress.

Journal articles & book chapters

"Changing U.S. Policy Towards Iraq: A Strategy Proposal & Scenario for Congressional Hearings," forthcoming.

“Blown Away: U.S. Militarism & Hurricane Katrina,” Hillary Potter, ed., Racing the Storm: Racial Implications and Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina, Lexington Books, forthcoming.

Thomas Reifer, "From 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina: War, the 21st Century & America's Future" [PDF] in Destroy & Profit: Wars, Disasters, & Corporations, 2006, Focus on the Global South, pp. 65-78.

Chris Chase Dunn, Andrew Jorgenson, Thomas Reifer and Shoon Lio, "The Trajectory of the United States in the World-System: A Quantitative Reflection," Sociological Perspectives (Journal of the Pacific Sociological Association), Volume 48, Issue 2, pp. 233-254.

Thomas Reifer, “Latin@ Century, Pacific Century: 21st Century Possibilities in World-Systems Perspective,” in Ramon Grosfoguel, Nelson Maldonado-Torres and Jose David Saldivar, ed., Latin@s in the World-System: Decolonization Struggles in the 21st Century U.S. Empire, Boulder, Co: Paradigm Publishers, 2005, Ch. 12, pp. 199-211.

Thomas Reifer, “Globalization, Democratization & Global Elite Formation in Hegemonic Cycles: A Geopolitical Economy,” in Jonathan Friedman & Christopher Chase-Dunn, eds., Hegemonic Declines, Paradigm Publishers, 2005, Ch. 7, pp. 183-201.

Bruce Podobnik and Thomas Reifer, “Introduction: The Effort to Transform Globalization: Historical and Contemporary Struggles,” in Bruce Podobnik and Thomas E. Reifer, editors, Transforming Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities in the Post 9/11 Era, Series, Studies in Critical Social Science, Brill Academic Press, 2005, pp. 1-7.

Thomas Reifer, "Torture, Human Rights and the Challenges Facing the Global Peace and Justice Movements," in Bruce Podobnik and Thomas E. Reifer, editors, Transforming Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities in the Post 9/11 Era, Series, Studies in Critical Social Science, Brill Academic Press, 2005, pp. 157-165.

Thomas Reifer, Christopher Chase-Dunn & Andrew Jorgenson "The U.S. Trajectory:
Quantitative and Historical Reflections," Faruk Tabak, ed., Allies as Rivals: The U.S., Europe, and Japan in a Changing World-System, Paradigm Publishers, 2005, pp. 55-71.

Thomas Reifer, “Hegemony, State-Corporate Globalization and Antisystemic Movements: Contending Theoretical and Historical Approaches,” in Thomas Ehrlich Reifer, ed., Globalization, Hegemony & Power: Antisystemic Movements and the Global System, Bouder, Co: Paradigm Publishers, 2004, pp. 1-15.

Paul M. Lubeck and Thomas Reifer, “The Politics of Global Islam: U.S. Hegemony, Globalization and Islamist Social Movements,” in Thomas Ehrlich Reifer, ed., Globalization, Hegemony & Power: Antisystemic Movements and the Global System, Boulder, Co: Paradigm Publishers, 2004, pp. 162-180.

Thomas Reifer, “Labor, Race & Empire: Transport Workers & Transnational Empires of Trade, Production & Finance,” in Labor Versus Empire: Race, Gender, and Migration, Edited by Gilbert Gonzalez, Raul Fernandez, Dorothy Fujita-Rony,Vivian Price, David Smith, and Linda Trinh Võ, Routledge Press, 2004, pp. 17-35.

Bruce Podobnik and Thomas Reifer, “The Globalization Protest Movement in Comparative Perspective,” Journal of World-Systems Research, “Special Issue: Global Social Movements Before and After 9-11,” Bruce Podobnik & Thomas Ehrlich Reifer, guest editors, Volume X, Number 1, Winter 2004.

Thomas Reifer, “Globalization & the National Security State Corporate Complex (NSSCC) in the Long Twentieth Century,” in Ramon Grosfoguel & Ana Margarita Cervantes-Rodriguez, eds., The Modern/Colonial/Capitalist World-System in the Twentieth Century: Global Processes, Antisystemic Movements and the Geopolitics of Knowledge, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002, pp. 3-20. Contributions in Economics and Economic History, Number 227. Studies in the Political Economy of the World-System. Immanuel Wallerstein, Series Adviser.

Thomas Reifer, “Globalization, Militarization & US Policy Towards the Asia-Pacific & the Philippines: Democratic Struggles, Overseas Expansion & International Solidarity Movements,” Human Rights Forum, 10th Anniversary Edition, Volume 11, No. 1, July-December 2001, pp. 79-116.

Thomas Reifer, “The Global Significance of Korea’s Cold War Division System & the International Movement for Reconciliation”, in Brid Brennan, ed., Melting the Iceberg: Ending the Cold War in the Korean Peninsula & the Search for Global Peace, Amsterdam, Netherlands: Transnational Institute in cooperation with Focus on the Global South, 2001, pp. 15-32.

Thomas Reifer, “Student Union,” Campus, Inc.: Corporate Power in the Ivory Tower, Prometheus Books, 2000, pp. 358-370.

Giovanni Arrighi, P.K. Hui, Krishnendu Ray, and Thomas Ehrlich Reifer “Geopolitics & High Finance,” in Giovanni Arrighi, Beverly Silver, et. al., Chaos and Governance in the Modern World System, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1999, pp. 37-96. Translated editions in Chinese, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.

Thomas Reifer and Jamie Sudler, “The Interstate System,” in Terence K. Hopkins & Immanuel Wallerstein, Coordinators, The Age of Transition: Trajectory of the World System, 1945-2025, New Jersey: Zed Press, 1996, pp. 13-37. This book is part of Zed Titles on Globalization, Studies in International Political Economy. Translated editions in Korean, Italian, Japanese, Turkish and Chinese.

Articles

War, the 21st Century, and America's Future: From 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina", >An shortened edited version of this piece appeared in Focus on Trade 113, Part II, September 2005, an Electronic Bulletin, published by Focus on the Global South.

" “Culture & Power: Globalisation, the West & the Islamic Resurgence,” in Asia Europe Meeting Watch, “Understanding Islamic Politics & Culture,” No. 77, July 2002, Electronic Bulletin, ASEM Watch Online Archives, Transnational Institute.

Thomas Reifer, "Introduction", JWSR Mini-symposium: Peter Gowan and the Capitalist World-Empire," Journal of World-Systems Research, Volume 10, Number 2, Summer 2004, p. 437.

Thomas Reifer, Asia-Pacific Security & U.S.-led Neoliberal Globalization and Militarization in Historical Pespective.

“Is Copying the US Model of Capitalism a Good Answer for Japan?,” Weekly Ekonomisuto, (Japanese Economist, the leading economic weekly in Japan, issued by Mainichi Newspaper), “Special Double Issue,” Tokyo, Japan, December 23/January 2002/2003. Translated by Dr. Shigeo Nakao, Professor of Economics, Osaka City University, Japan.

“Geopolitics, Globalization and Alternative Regionalisms: Possibilities for Global Peace, Democracy and Social Justice”, in Paul Scannell and Brid Brennan, ed., Asia Europe Crosspoints, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Transnational Institute Handbook, 2002.

“Connections That Keep Fires Burning,” in “1968—Remembering & Pondering After Three Decades,” Special Issue of Peacework: Global Thought & Local Action for Nonviolent Social Change, New England Regional Office of the American Friends Service Committee, Issue 284, April 1998, pp. 8-9.

“For Further Reading,” in “1968—Remembering & Pondering After Three Decades,” Special Issue of Peacework: Global Thought & Local Action for Nonviolent Social Change, New England Regional Office of the American Friends Service Committee, Issue 284, April 1998, pp. 19-20.

Guest Editorship

Bruce Podobnik & Thomas Reifer, guest editors. Journal of World-Systems Research, “Special Issue on Global Social Movements Before and After 9-11,” Volume X, Number 1, Winter 2004. http://jwsr.ucr.edu/index.php

Papers

Chris Chase-Dunn, Thomas Reifer, Ken Barr, Anders Carlson, Chris Schmitt, Shoon Lio and Rick Niemeyer, “Trade and the flag: integration and conflict in waves of globalization and deglobalization,” Presented at the American Sociological Association Conference, Session on Transnational Sociology, Philadelphia, PA, August 2005.

“Geopolitics, Globalization and Alternative Regionalisms: Possibilities for Global Peace, Democracy & Social Justice,” Asia Europe People’s Forum. Sponsored by the Asia Europe People’s Forum and Danish civil society organizations. Copenhagen, Denmark, September 19-23, 2002.

Christopher Chase-Dunn, Rebecca Giem, Andrew Jorgenson, Shoon Lio, Thomas Reifer, John Rogers,
“Structural Globalization: 1800-2000,” American Sociological Association, Chicago, August 16-19, 2002. This research is supported by the National Science Foundation Sociology Program.

Christopher Chase-Dunn and Thomas Reifer, “US Hegemony & Biotechnology: The Geopolitics of New Lead Technology,” Session 8, “New Technologies & the Environment,” International Studies Association, Research Committee on Environment & Society, XV ISA World Congress of Sociology, Brisbane, Australia, July 7-13, 2002. IROWS Working Paper #9.

Christopher Chase-Dunn, Rebecca Giem, Andrew Jorgenson, Shoon Lio, Thomas Reifer, and John Rogers, “The Trajectory of the United States in the World-System: A Quantitative Reflection,” XV International Studies Association, World Congress of Sociology, Brisbane, Australia, Session on “American Primacy or American Hegemony?” Research Committee on Comparative Sociology, organized by Neil Smelser and Mattei Dogan, Wednesday, July 10, 2002. IROWS Working Paper #8.
Chris Chase-Dunn, Thomas Reifer, Ken Barr, Anders Carlson, Chris Schmitt, Shoon Lio and Rick Niemeyer, “Trade and the flag: integration and conflict in waves of globalization and deglobalization,” Presented at the American Sociological Association Conference, Session on Transnational Sociology, Philadelphia, PA, August 2005.
“Geopolitics, Globalization and Alternative Regionalisms: Possibilities for Global Peace, Democracy & Social Justice,” Asia Europe People’s Forum. Sponsored by the Asia Europe People’s Forum and Danish civil society organizations. Copenhagen, Denmark, September 19-23, 2002. http://www.focusweb.org/publications/2002/geopolitics-globalisationand-a...
Christopher Chase-Dunn, Rebecca Giem, Andrew Jorgenson, Shoon Lio, Thomas Reifer, John Rogers, “Structural Globalization: 1800-2000,” American Sociological Association, Chicago, August 16-19, 2002. This research is supported by the National Science Foundation Sociology Program. http://irows.ucr.edu/papers/irows10/irows10.htm
Christopher Chase-Dunn and Thomas Reifer, “US Hegemony & Biotechnology: The Geopolitics of New Lead Technology,” Session 8, “New Technologies & the Environment,” International Studies Association, Research Committee on Environment & Society, XV ISA World Congress of Sociology, Brisbane, Australia, July 7-13, 2002. IROWS Working Paper #9. http://www.irows.ucr.edu/papers/irows9/irows9.htm
Christopher Chase-Dunn, Rebecca Giem, Andrew Jorgenson, Shoon Lio, Thomas Reifer, and John Rogers, “The Trajectory of the United States in the World-System: A Quantitative Reflection,” XV International Studies Association, World Congress of Sociology, Brisbane, Australia, Session on “American Primacy or American Hegemony?” Research Committee on Comparative Sociology, organized by Neil Smelser and Mattei Dogan, Wednesday, July 10, 2002. IROWS Working Paper #8. http://irows.ucr.edu/papers/irows8/irows8.htm
Op-Ed Pieces
"Iraq-Waiting for Godot," forthcoming.
Encyclopedia Entries
“Berlin, East & West,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 65-69.
“Coordinator of Information,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 168-169.
“Lyndon B. Johnson,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 347-350.
“Journalism and Propaganda,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 352-357.
“Literature and Film,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 394-397.

"Middle Ages,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 428-430.
“Otis Pike,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 496-497.
“Franklin D. Roosevelt,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 534-538.
“Satellites,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 554-559.

“Taiwan,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 663-634.
“Harriet Tubman,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 649-650.
“United States of America,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 663-671.
“Woodrow Wilson,” in Rodney B. Carlisle, ed., Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. 709-710.
“Hegemony,” in Phillip O’Hara, ed., International Encyclopedia of Public Policy: Governance in a Global Age, four volumes, Oxford University Press, forthcoming.
"Corporations," in William A. Darity, editor, International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2nd Edition, forthcoming, 2007.
Book Reviews
“Review of Laurie Wermuth, Global Inequality and Human Needs: Health and Illness in an Increasingly Unequal World,” Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews, (33: 1), January 2004, pp. 105-106.
“Review of Mike Davis, Dead Cities: And Other Tales, in City and Community (Journal of the Community and Urban Sociology Section of the ASA), Vol. 2, Issue 4, December 2003, pp. 369-370.
“Review of Meredith Woo-Cumings and Michael Loriaux, eds., Past as Prelude: History in the Making of a New World Order, in Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews,” Vol. 23, Number 6, November 1994, pp. 840-841.