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Glossary

Fourth World

Some people think that dividing the world into the first, the second and the third world is no longer suitable for describing the modern world. Therefore, the concept of ˇ§fourth worldˇ¨ then emerges. Its definition, however, is not yet agreed on and people have varied definitions and explanations. In summary, people of the fourth world are confronted with alternative ˇ§povertyˇ¨ problems, including not only noticeable ones such as famine and disease as in the third world, but also problems being easily neglected and forgotten by people.

For instance, in Africa and Asia, there are millions of people seeking refuge abroad or displaced domestically as a result of natural or man-made disasters. They have no place to settle and have to struggle for survival, but they have been forgotten by the media and even their governments. In wealthy societies, while many people are embracing high technology, there are still poor people who are illiterate and cannot understand what others are talking about. They cannot afford a computer and have no chance to browse the web. They lose self-confidence and are being marginalized in society.

Related concept:
The Third World


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Fourth World

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