Conceptual Analysis in Southern Social Theory and Southern Social Ontology

Southern social theory is opposed to Northern social theory in sociology and other social sciences (e.g. in social and political philosophy). This opposition was researched, for instance, R.Connel. However, we suppose, under improved conceptual analysis such opposition can be transferred to other directions: social ontology and social epistemology. For instance, Russian theoretical and ontological tradition in sociology also can de described with a language of “southern social theory”: it is opposed to contemporary northern social theory. We formulate “KHM-Program” (KHM - Kant-Hegel-Marx) in southern social ontology which is based on “improved” categorial reformatting of modern socio-ontological knowledge, referring to the tradition of Kant, Hegel and Marx. We believe that all modern ontological programs (J.Searle, T.Lawson, M.Archer, B.Epstein, etc.) only ostensibly appeal to “empirical facts”, while in fact they are based on “ontological facts”. Ontological fact is empirical knowledge about processes and interactions occurring in society, which is epistemologically, ideologically and geopolitically selected, filtered and interpreted by a particular ontological program (or by a particular social ontologist) which serves as an “empirical base” of evidence for any social ontological concept. “KHM-program” also presents its own development vector of the "improved categorical analysis", i.e. correction, clarification and improvement of basic ontological categories, which allows us to deepen our understanding of the nature of social reality. This program uses “nomadic concepts” (C.Green), “thick and thin concepts” (G.Abend, etc.), “reflexive equilibrium in conceptual analysis” (G.Brun) - these ideas can also be applied in the “improved categorical analysis” as the development vector of the “KHM-program” and they, in future, are able to strengthen its position in opposition to “northern social ontology”