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Research Journal of the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka- Rohana 12, 2020

In view of these observations on the historical unfolding of dominant epistemologies
and theories emanating from the global north, as social scientists we have a duty to

critically investigate ‘the concealed contradictions of capitalist modernity’
(2012:117) and the role of metropolitan theory in the context of South Asia in

relation to knowledge construction in sociology and other social sciences.

Crisis of Sociology in the South Asian Context

Several critical reviews exist on the introduction and institutionalisation of sociology

including social anthropology and resulting practices, issues, and challenges in
South Asian countries. These include Patel (1998, 2006, 2010, 2014), Sengupta

(1997, 1999), Vasavi (2011), Modi (2010), Srinivasan (2010), Kais (2010), Sabir
(2010, 2016), Perera (2012), Hettige (2010), Gamage 2015), Islam (2004), Thakur

(2015), Misra (2005), and Karim (2014). There are also some book reviews by

South Asian sociologists and social anthropologists that contain contemporary
observations. Speeches by Presidents of Sociological Association of India and some

conference reports on sociology in South Asia also provide further clues on the
evolving nature of the subject and the challenges it faces.

There is a strong line of argument in these writings emphasising the fact that

sociology practice in South Asia is excessively embedded in the Western hegemonic
knowledge and methodologies. When European and American perspectives and

theories were exported to other countries, they have become dominant universal

models (Patel 2010: 3). Citing Alatas (1974), Patel observes that ‘such domination
organized an array of sociological practices, including those that dealt with teaching,

such as import of syllabi and textbooks, and research’ (Patel 2010: 3-4). Imported

models included ‘what to study, how to study and what is considered best practice in
research, including the evaluation of research projects and the protocols of writing,

and presenting empirical and theoretical articles in journals’ (Patel, 2010: 4).

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