Southern Theory: Social Science And The Global Dynamics Of Knowledge

In Southern Theory Raewyn Connell presents the case for a new'world social science' - one that is inclusive of many voices - byarguing for a more democratic global recognition of social theoryfrom societies outside the dominant European and North Americanmetropole.

Intellectual production of the majority 'southern' world does infact include theory, though its contribution is often marginalisedand intellectually discredited by the metropole. Connell shows howsocial theory about the modern world from peripheral societies isequal in intellectual rigour and is often of greater politicalrelevance to our changing world.

Beginning with an examination of the hidden assumptions of moderngeneral theory, Southern Theory looks to the 'southern' socialexperience and the theories that have emerged from Australia,Indigenous peoples, Latin America, India, Africa, Islam and otherpost-colonial societies, as sources of important and vitalcontributions to world social science. These myriad theories offervaluable perspectives so crucial to the application of socialtheory in the contemporary world, having the power to transform theinfluence of the metropolitan hegemony on social thought by mutualregard and interaction.

Southern Theory is a major new work in social theory, drawing onanthropology, history, psychology, philosophy, economics andcultural studies, with wide-ranging implications for the socialsciences in the 21st century.

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