Taking Empire Seriously: Postcolonial Theory and Disciplinary Sociology

Abstract

Calls to 'decolonize' sociology and make social science more responsive to the concerns of postcolonial thought have proliferated in recent years. But what exactly is the postcolonial critique, and what are its dangers and possibilities? This lecture builds upon these calls to decolonize sociology while also pushing the postcolonial project further. It offers an analysis of the lineage of postcolonial thought and its apparent opposition to sociological thought. It then specifies the postcolonial critique of sociology and asks how sociology can best respond. A range of examples from social theory, the history of empire, and militarized policing help us better appreciate the need for the postcolonial turn.