Sociological Theories from Japan, Korea, and Asia: Revisiting Theory Beyond Western Paradigms

The Japan Sociological Society marked its centennial in 2024, while the Korean Sociological Association will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2026. Throughout this long history, sociologists in both countries have made various attempts concerning sociological theory.

Masao Maruyama, a Japanese political philosopher, has noted that “Japanese intellectual thought has been preoccupied with ‘importing ready-made products’ by establishing horizontal connections with the dominant intellectual currents in the West,” resulting in thought that has not been “accumulated vertically.” This remark applies to sociology in Japan, which began in 1878 when Ernest Fenollosa, a foreign instructor at the Imperial University, lectured on Spencer’s sociology. The practice of “importing” and interpreting Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Parsons, Bourdieu, and Luhmann has been repeated since then. To some degree, this may also apply to sociology in Korea.

However, both Japan and Korea have developed unique sociological theories rooted in their respective social realities and intellectual traditions. Notable examples in Japan include the theory of “endogenous development” by Kazuko Tsurumi (1918–2006), the theory of “self” by Keiichi Sakuta (1922–2016), and the comparative sociology of “time” by Munesuke Mita (1937–2022). In Korea, emerging theories developed by currently active sociologists can also be identified.

This session aims to rediscover and compare sociological theories specific to Japan and Korea. Presentations on equivalent contributions from other Asian societies are also welcome. In this session, we seek to explore the possibilities these theories offer in contrast to their Western counterparts.