Southern Theory summary

Although the old empires have since dissolved and colonialism has mostly come to an end, the world remains split into those who have power and those who don’t. And this imbalance is still evident in sociology today.

Actually, sociology is conducted in largely the same way as it was in colonial times. That is, theories are formulated and published in the metropole – the central cities of the empires – and these theories are then applied to formerly colonized territories. For example, some scholars still study “primitive” cultures from the perspective of a “civilized” observer. In other cases, academics sidestep indigenous and colonized cultures while still claiming universality – the idea that concepts can be applied to every part of the world.

The world is becoming increasingly connected through modern technology, international corporations and trade agreements. All these things make geographical distances almost irrelevant, but unfortunately, our interconnectedness doesn’t mean that we’re all equal.

Around 1990, sociologists in the United Kingdom and the United States began using the term globalization after it became accepted in business and economics publications. These sociologists claimed to explore the world as a new, global society. However, globalization theories still view the world from the standpoint of those in power.

The political tensions within and between the many nations of Africa are well known today. But before these conflicts, cultural struggles were widespread as African nations fought against European conquest. These movements are known as the African Renaissance, a term which can refer to two historical instances.

Some use the term African Renaissance to describe the time in the 1990s when African politicians focused on African identity, democracy and development. For example, South African president Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela’s successor, used the term to refer to the economic and cultural development he envisioned, which included the emancipation of African women.

Few can deny the economic and political power the United States has maintained for over a century. But less well-known is the way the Northern superpower’s culture has asserted its dominance over the global South.

One sociological study that explored this relationship was How to Read Donald Duck by Chile-based sociologists Ariel Dorfman and Armand Mattelart.

Once dubbed “the jewel in the crown,” India was an invaluable colony of the British Empire. So when it gained independence in 1947, the subcontinent became an inspiration to the colonized world.

But its colonial past continued to leave a cultural imprint long after independence, especially on Indian historiography.

We’ve seen that what we think is legitimate or true is largely determined by the place and people involved in the production of knowledge. So how can sociologists keep a balanced perspective on this?

First, the social sciences must recognize the relationship between the periphery and the metropole.