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Raewyn Connell is the author of Southern Theory.

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Southern Theory summary

Name: Southern Theory
Rating: 4.1 (51 reviews)
Author: Raewyn Connell

Raewyn Connell

The Global Dynamics of Knowledge in Social Science

4.1 (51 ratings)

16 mins

Brief summary

'Southern Theory' by Raewyn Connell examines the global dominance of 'Western' social theory and argues for the importance of non-Western perspectives in understanding the world.

Topics

Anthropology Culture Colonialism & Imperialism

Table of Contents

Southern Theory
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Key idea 1 of 7

What’s in it for me? Understand why sociology should be grounded in the society it studies.

Sociology 101 is a familiar rite of passage for college students, but how many wonder where the discipline came from, or what its original purpose was?

Originating in the high colonial period of the nineteenth century, sociology has always been based on the perspective of European and American academics and observers. Usually, they’re training their lens on those in poorer countries, with results that aren’t as straightforward as they seem at first glance.

So, let’s explore the history of sociology and how it became a “Northern” theory of the rich and privileged, and see what the alternative – a “Southern theory” – can tell us about the world today.

In these blinks, you’ll find out

the part imperialism played in the creation of sociology;
how a Nigerian poem sparked a theory about the pillars of society; and
what reading Donald Duck can tell us about the North’s view of the South.

Sociology was created in the late nineteenth century at the height of Western imperialism.

Any sociology major will tell you that sociology as a discipline began with three thinkers: Max Weber, Karl Marx and Émile Durkheim. But this isn’t the whole story. What often goes unmentioned is that the social sciences emerged during a very specific period in history.

In the decades leading up to World War One, the empires of European countries and the US grew dramatically. The German, British and French empires expanded into Africa and Asia while the United States conquered parts of the American west and overseas territories such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

At this time, colonizers justified their actions by claiming they were modernizing and civilizing so-called “primitive” peoples. Asserting their position of white superiority, colonizers took it upon themselves to spread progress, as they believed other societies were inferior and unable to develop independently.

It was in this period that sociology was created in order for the empires to study the people they had colonized. Not only were colonizers claiming “new” land by violently obliterating resistance, but they also began observing the culture of the people there. For example, between 1898 and 1913 in the sociological journal L’Année Sociologique, over two-thirds of the reviews were about colonized territories. Durkheim, who founded the journal, was therefore only able to write about Algeria’s Kabyle people because the French had conquered the country not long before.

Later in the early twentieth century, sociology was reinvented in American universities and became established as an academic discipline. It was only then that the works of Weber, Marx and Durkheim were prescribed for all sociologists. The new discipline required a curriculum, so the first sociology professors narrowed it down to these three academics. Consequently, any wider sociological perspectives were ignored and the violent and exploitative origin of sociology was covered up.

Mainstream modern social theorists ignore the impact of colonialism.

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.

Acknowledgment of global inequalities leads to a more truthful way of understanding 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.

During the African Renaissance, African intellectuals produced social theories based on indigenous cultures.

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.

Latin American sociologists explored the continent’s dependency on the United States.

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.

In India, the Subaltern Studies Group investigated society from the perspective of the disadvantaged.

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.

Sociology must recognize power inequalities, and respect all forms of knowledge.

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.

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What is Southern Theory about?

In Southern Theory (2007), sociologist Raewyn Connell investigates the emergence of the social sciences in the context of Western imperialism. She explains how sociological knowledge and theory was and is primarily produced from the perspective of the colonizers, and not the colonized.

Southern Theory Review

Southern Theory (2007) by Raewyn Connell explores the dominance of sociology from the Global North and provides a refreshing perspective on social theory from the Global South. Here's why this book is worth reading:

Offers a courageous critique of the traditional Western-centric approach to social theory, challenging readers to broaden their understanding and perspectives.
Examines the complex relationship between power, knowledge, and social change in the context of the Global South, shedding light on previously marginalized voices.
Engages readers with its powerful analysis of the influence of colonialism, globalization, and post-colonialism, making the book both thought-provoking and enlightening.

Best quote from Southern Theory

Sociology was formed within the culture of imperialism, and embodied an intellectual response to the colonised world.

—Raewyn Connell

Who should read Southern Theory?

Sociology and humanities students
Anyone interested in globalization and postcolonialism
People interested in international politics

About the Author

Raewyn Connell has served as an advisor on UN initiatives and was a founding professor of sociology at Macquarie University, Australia. Currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Sydney, she is a renowned scholar in Southern theory, as well as in gender and masculinity studies. The Australian Sociological Association named the biennial Raewyn Connell Prize after her in 2010.

Categories with Southern Theory

Economics Society & Culture Politics

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