Transimperial Sociologies: Colonial Legacies and the Globalization of Social Science in Africa after World War II

Prevailing narratives about the internationalization of sociology after World War II often emphasize the growing global influence of American social theory and empirical sociology, particularly the structural functionalism that dominated the era. These narratives also highlight the role of international organisations that emerged in the post-war period, especially UNESCO, which promoted the International Sociological Association and supported various international social-scientific projects and regional initiatives.

However, these accounts frequently overlook other international bodies, both public and private, that were established or revitalized during this time to renew imperial governance and re-legitimize colonialism. In these contexts, the social sciences – especially sociology – played a crucial role. While the activities of the International African Institute are relatively well-known, the histories of transimperial organisations such as the International Conference of Western Africanists (1945), the International Institute of Differing Civilizations (1946), and the Commission for Technical Cooperation in Africa South of the Sahara (1950), are only now beginning to receive scholarly attention.

Based on the study of Portugal's involvement in these organisations, this paper explores their broader implications for the development of sociology. By adding a colonial layer to the history of the discipline’s internationalization in the second half of the 20th century, it also seeks to introduce a transimperial perspective to the narratives about sociology's colonial roots, which have typically been studied from a national viewpoint.