Rejoinder: For a Subaltern Global Sociology?

Abstract

The nine articles in the dialogue divide into two groups: an abstract universalism constituted from above (Burawoy, Martinelli, Wievorka, Smith) vs concrete practices knitted together from below (Shen Yuan, Zdravomyslova, Habib, Baviskar and Braga et al.). In fact, a global sociology has to be constructed from below and the question is whether this is possible. This raises three questions. First, is there a common project that might broadly unite sociologists? Second, is there a community of discourse that would allow us to communicate our different practices? Third, if we do have a common language how can we handle the inequalities within and across nations, regions and the globe? In fact, there is a convergence on the challenges posed by third-wave marketization, otherwise known as neoliberalism. Furthermore, sociologists all recognize different types of engagement: professional, critical, policy and public. We must forge a subaltern universality from the connections among particular sociologies.