Introduction to Eurocentrism, Androcentrism and Sociological Theory
It should
be stressed, however, that it is not our contention that the recognition of
these biases requires that existed sociological theory be deleted from
sociology curricula in universities. Rather, we argue from experience, for a
fresh approach to teaching classical sociological theory that attunes students
in more meaningful and critical ways to the works of Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406), Karl Marx (1818-1883), Max Weber (1864-1920), Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) Harriet Martineau (1802-1876), Joze Rizal (1861-1896), Said Nursi (1877-1960), Pandita Ramabai Saraswati (1858-1922), Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), Benoy Kumar Sarkar (1887-1949) and
other representatives of the canon. Another critical feature of this book relates to the specific treatment of the 'founding fathers' of sociological theory.
Again typically, students are directed to the Enlightenment, the Industrial and French Revolutions, as the backdrop against which a body of social thought emerged. thus the rise of sociological thought and theory is explained as the cumulative effect of these various social, economic and political forces. Specific historical events and processes that are important in the experience of European modernity are highlighted as being critical to the shaping of sociological theory.
French Sociologist, David Emile Durkheim for example on his 'Rules of Sociological Method' explain about what is social fact? they constitute, thus a new variety phenomena and it is to them exclusively that the term "social" ought to be applied. And this term fits them quite well, for it is clear that since their source is not in the individual, their substratum can be no other than society, either the political society as a whole or some one of the partial groups it includes a religious denominations, political, literary, and occupational association. On the other hand, the term 'social" applies to them exclusively, for it has a distinct meaning only if it designates exclusively the phenomena which are not included in any of categories of facts that have already been established and classified. These way of thinking and acting therefore constitute the proper domain of sociology. (The Rules of Sociological Method)
Max Weber @ Maximilian Karl Emil is German sociologist, on his 'Objectivity in Social Science determined the significance of sociological thought. He says, there is no absolutely 'objective scientific analysis of culture. All knowledge of culture reality is always knowledge from particular points of views an objective analysis of culture events, which proceeds according to the thesis that the ideal of science in the reduction of empirical reality to laws (canon) is meaningless, because the knowledge of social laws is not knowledge of social reality but is rather one of the various aids used by our minds for attaining this end. Weber is profoundly known through his idea on religious presumption. His famous execution critics constitute the religious 'disenchantment' doctrine of the world life (lebenswelt) through his controversial writings on 'the protestant ethics and the spirit of capitalism'. (the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism).
There is further a 'universal' acceptance that anyone, anywhere who wants to study sociology must know the writings of Marx, Weber and Durkheim. It is rather surprising that classical sociological theory courses have been taught in a number of Asian countries without due recognition of the historical context and cultural practices of the students who enrol in these courses. Dealing with issues that may bear little historical relevance or cultural meaning to the students. Sociological theory is said to have emerged as a result of communities of thinkers reflecting upon various social forces and problems.
Max Weber @ Maximilian Karl Emil is German sociologist, on his 'Objectivity in Social Science determined the significance of sociological thought. He says, there is no absolutely 'objective scientific analysis of culture. All knowledge of culture reality is always knowledge from particular points of views an objective analysis of culture events, which proceeds according to the thesis that the ideal of science in the reduction of empirical reality to laws (canon) is meaningless, because the knowledge of social laws is not knowledge of social reality but is rather one of the various aids used by our minds for attaining this end. Weber is profoundly known through his idea on religious presumption. His famous execution critics constitute the religious 'disenchantment' doctrine of the world life (lebenswelt) through his controversial writings on 'the protestant ethics and the spirit of capitalism'. (the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism).
There is further a 'universal' acceptance that anyone, anywhere who wants to study sociology must know the writings of Marx, Weber and Durkheim. It is rather surprising that classical sociological theory courses have been taught in a number of Asian countries without due recognition of the historical context and cultural practices of the students who enrol in these courses. Dealing with issues that may bear little historical relevance or cultural meaning to the students. Sociological theory is said to have emerged as a result of communities of thinkers reflecting upon various social forces and problems.
Specifically the idea is refer here to the neglect or missing non-western sources and female voices in accounts in the formative period of the development of sociological theory. ironically, such an approach constitutes a new form of legitimating the classics by revealing their timeless qualities, notwithstanding their various conceptual, methodological and ideological limitations. Apart from highlighting the biases of Eurocentrism and Androcentrism and offering much-needed correctives to them an alternative conceptualization of the introductory.
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