Making Global Sociology in the Context of Neoliberal Domination: Challenges, Ideology and Possible Strategies

Abstract

This article discusses perspectives for making global sociology, which implies open and fruitful cooperation between sociologists from different locations, as well as enhancing our discipline’s positions in the field of social sciences and in extra-academic environments. Drawing on Wacquant’s ideas, we understand neoliberalism as a globally dominant approach to social regulation, combining market-oriented mechanisms in economic transactions and restrictive control apparatus based on the cultural imperative of individual responsibility, supported by the state. Intellectually rooted in European liberal tradition and supported by neoclassical economics’ conceptual frameworks, neoliberalism has shaped three interrelated challenges for global sociology: (1) Eurocentric conceptual apparatus within the discipline, (2) domination of economics over sociology in the field of social sciences, and (3) marketisation of the academic world, promoting direct ‘profitability’, and making ‘public value’ of scientific knowledge less relevant. We argue that these three challenges generate a tendency towards negative ideological unity across a significant number of sociological communities worldwide, which tend to see neoliberalism as a multifaceted common enemy. Despite being evidence-based, this emerging global ideological unity in sociology is problematic because it lacks a strong positive project. Instead of hostile attitudes towards internal and external agents affiliated with neoliberalism, the solidarity-oriented strategies may be helpful in building a truly global sociology.