Final answer:
Dependency theory is the most commonly supported view among contemporary anthropologists and sociologists for explaining global inequality, emphasizing exploitation by core nations as the key driver of disparities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dependency theory is the perspective that most anthropologists and sociologists support today when analyzing the issues of global inequality. This theory argues that global inequality is primarily a result of the exploitation of resources and labor in peripheral and semi-peripheral countries by core nations. This creates a cycle of dependence, preventing less developed countries from achieving sustainable economic growth and contributing to persistent global disparities. On the other hand, modernization theory posits that countries go through stages of economic development and that cultural values promoting hard work and success will lead to industrialization and technological progress.
Specifically, a sociologist using dependency theory would focus on how multinational corporations headquartered in core nations exploit workers in peripheral nation factories to understand the global economy. This contrasts with modernization theory's primary driver, which is industrialization. It's worth noting that modernization theory has been critiqued for being Eurocentric and not accounting for the complex economic relationships that contribute to global inequality.