Caravanserai The Use of Islands in the Capitalist World-System Marina Karides July 1, 2026 Islands appear to have stirred the global contemporary zeitgeist. Pacific Islanders who have been tending to the dangers and disappearance of their homelands by sea level rise for decades, have gained international attention. More recent is the preoccupation with Kharg island, Iran’s port for crude oil export. “Kharg Island Obliterated” was the headline of a White House social media post, dismissing, as often occurs, island worlds, in this case people with livelihoods and an ancient autochthonous population. Trump’s imperialism manifests in his preoccupation with islands. It is evinced by his relentless pursuit to acquire Greenland and his obsession with the Chagos Islands especially Diego Garcia, where a US run military facility sits (BBC 2026). In addition, Trump has requested $152 million to reopen Alcatraz as a maximum security prison extending ...