Ideology and Pseudo-Science: Drawing Lessons from a Critique of Sociology of Race during Apartheid for Current Practice-Based Science

This paper explores knowledge production within an emerging sociology of race, aligned to Afrikaner nationalist thought, which set out to provide justification for apartheid in addressing the so-called ‘racial question’ within the South African society.  In a context of contestation, claiming objectivity and scientific authority the emerging ‘nationalist’ sociology of race set out to demonstrate its utility as a credible body of knowledge to not only legitimate exclusionary racial practices within the society, but to shape policy implementation as well. Racialisation embedded within modernity, normalised exclusionary practices within the society, institutionalising racism. Given this trajectory of an applied sociology of race in support of an indefensible policy a number of questions are raised in conclusion with regard to power, ideology, and how in addressing pressing social issues questions of inequality and social justice should be foregrounded in current practice.