A HARMADIK VILÁG KONCEPCIÓJÁNAK ÉRTELMEZÉSE ÉS ELLENTMONDÁSAI.

Different spatial metaphors to describe the differences of global economy have been widely used in much research connected to the issues of global inequalities and globalization itself. Since the emergence of the term "Third World" as one of the abovementioned metaphors, its meaning and its geographical reference have been ambiguous and the term itself has faced many controversies and criticisms. Generally, the term has always had both a political and a socioeconomic meaning, however, at first - and primarily during the Cold War - its political sense was mainly applied. The main aim of our paper is to give a brief overview of the concept "Third World," using in particular the literature linked strictly to the problems and contradictions associated with it. First, I review the geopolitical situation in which the notion appeared, focusing on the development discourse of the Cold War era. Then the different explanations, and later the main controversies linked to the concept, will be discussed. I argue and try to confirm that the notion is closely related to postwar geopolitics and the changing scientific approaches to the discourse on development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]