Postcolonial studies and social sciences: criticisms and epistemological alternatives

This work analyzes some of the main epistemological criticisms that the so-called “post-colonial” studies address to the social sciences (or to science, in general), and the alternatives they propose. More specifically, it focuses on formulations developed within the “Modernity / Coloniality” group,...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Portela Júnior, Aristeu
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2015
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)
Repositorio:Temáticas (Campinas. Online)
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:inpec.econtents.bc.unicamp.br:article/11102
Acceso en línea:https://econtents.bc.unicamp.br/inpec/index.php/tematicas/article/view/11102
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Ciencias
Epistemología
Modernidad
Poscolonial
Science
Epistemology
Modernity
Postcolonial
Ciência
Epistemologia
Modernidade
Pós-colonial
Descripción
Sumario:This work analyzes some of the main epistemological criticisms that the so-called “post-colonial” studies address to the social sciences (or to science, in general), and the alternatives they propose. More specifically, it focuses on formulations developed within the “Modernity / Coloniality” group, based on the work of Walter Mignolo, and on what has been one of its main interlocutors in Portuguese: Boaventura de Sousa Santos. First, it points out how the colonial provides the foundation for the construction of modern concepts of knowledge, denying the universe of beliefs and behaviors of colonized countries the very condition of knowledge. Finally, recognizing the extreme relevance, for the human and social sciences, of the “other paradigms” and the “ecology of knowledge”, outlines some limitations in these perspectives, especially with regard to the epistemological status of science after recognizing its roots and colonial survivals.