Classical Sociology for the 21st Century: Toward a Non-Parochial Perspective

There has been a renewed interest in classical sociology in recent years, driven by ongoing contentious debates concerning its colonial, Eurocentric, white, and male-centered biases. While these discussions have sparked countless disputes, they have nonetheless shed light on the centrality of classical sociology, not only for its historical significance but, more importantly, for its relevance to the relations that shape contemporary sociology. This session seeks to explore innovative approaches to classical sociology as a way to capture and reflect on major changes that are occurring in this field. The purpose of our session is not merely to demonstrate or reiterate the shortcomings of classical theory, but rather to deeply engage with the social relations and worlds that provided the grounds upon which sociology, as a discipline and/or practice, institutionalized itself. To this end, we invite papers that critically engage with classical sociology, broadly defined. We envision a session featuring papers that examine established figures, as well as those that uncover the ideas and/or modes of reasoning of forgotten thinkers and/or marginalized texts produced prior to World War II. We also welcome papers that investigate the intellectual milieu from which classical theories and theorists emerged. Ultimately, this session aims to provide a non-parochial perspective on classical sociology—one that is better suited for the sociology of the 21st century.