Final answer:
Newly industrializing countries are categorized as 'semiperiphery' according to world-system theory, situated between the more developed 'core' nations and the less industrialized 'periphery' nations.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to world-system theory, the newly industrializing countries are categorized as semiperiphery. Semiperipheral nations are those that fall between the core and periphery, holding a middle position in the global economy. These countries, like Mexico, India, Russia, and Brazil, represent a transitional group that is more industrialized than peripheral nations, yet not as economically dominant as core nations.
Core nations are also known as high-income nations that typically have stable governments, advanced industries, and high levels of economic development. In contrast, peripheral nations have very little industrialization, unstable governments, and are economically dependent on core nations for jobs and aid, often exploited for their natural resources by the more dominant core countries.
Dependency theory asserts that global inequality is the result of the exploitation of semiperipheral and peripheral nations by core nations, creating a cycle of dependence where the less developed countries remain economically subordinate to the more developed ones.