Making trouble with decolonial sociology: Towards an integrative future for non-Western and Western sociologies

• In Event: 20426 - Belief and Doubt in the History of Sociology

Abstract

This paper uses mixed methods and Chinese-English bilingual sources to scrutinize two parallel strands pertaining to non-Western sociology: postcolonial sociology led by First World-based Anglophone scholars and national sociological development primarily authored by Global South-based sociologists. The analyses uncover an “exclusion paradox”: postcolonial sociology not only overshadows local traditions in mainstream visibility; it also contrasts with the latter regarding moral and epistemic standpoints. While postcolonialism centers on anti-Eurocentric critiques and grievance, local scholars often acknowledge their “backward” status and emphasize “self-improvement” through Western learning, precisely shaped by their past encounters with Western imperialism and colonialism. This paper highlights how perspectives from the Global South expand sociological imagination and pave pathways for an integrative future that bridges Western and non-Western sociologies.

Author

• Xuewen (Shelley) Yan, The University of Texas at Austin