Methodological Approach
As a sociologist, I have lectured for twelve years on 'non-western history' at the Karl Franzens University in Graz, where I have attempted to analyze philosophical, cultural-historical and socio-epistemological issues surrounding non-western cultures and societies. Over the past twentyfive years I have carried out studies and projects, mainly focused on research for development. In these times, it has been more important than ever to look beyond one's 'own backyard.' However, doing this requires a sound understanding of one's own neighborhood in order to allow a reasonable and unbiased interpretation of the reflected images and developments from the outside neighborhood. Apart from imparting historical knowledge about the socio-political and socio-economic environments of non-western regions, in particular sub-Saharan Africa, the South-Eastern Caribbean, the Himalayan region, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific's, I have also placed an emphasis on discourse analysis and the ideological critiques that follow, which has formed a significant part of my teaching. 'Foreign' realities represent a good example of the fact that 'reality' is a reconstruction of our present experiences and perceptions; the 'objective' reality that sociology and the historical sciences often consider themselves responsible for, do not in fact exist.
Click to enlarge: Bhutan
Source: A.O.
Despite the relativistic nature of diverging 'realities' but also beyond these culturally relativistic discussions 'structures of relevance' that make analysis and action possible do exist. This criterion is often easier to understand than academic discourse would lead us to believe: Nowhere in the world do people want to suffer; life means the same thing in every culture, regardless of the time period: prevention of suffering, production and reproduction as a sufficient basis of existence. Objectives that stem from this definition also cross physical borders: developing strategies to prevent suffering, to ensure basic needs and reproduction, to make the future possible for the current and future generations by virtue of establishing sound activities in the present. According to this ideal classification the number of harmful political and social developments seem to be equal to those that are life enhancing. There can be no 'freedom of values' on the basis of a 'reality' that science not only analyzes but also creates. Every science's action is relevant, as every action shapes not only the present but also the future. 'No objective space exists' in the sense that with every analysis the individual's own 'subject' is inherently taken into consideration as we are breathing, creating and often, suffering human beings.
The world - as imaginable, as recognizable - is the one we find mirrored inside of ourselves. The purpose of this methodology is to expand on self-reflection through moment-to-moment awareness of that which is going on in the world around us. Cognitive and emotional processes are not to be excluded from science as they often are in the more sterile positivistic and empirical scientific ideologies. Human beings are the object of research in history and the social sciences, more specifically their diverse actions and 'failures' througout the ages. Students and researchers are themselves sentient, breathing and thinking individuals in the larger system of historical processes and the goal in this methodology is to allow this consideration to guide their analysis. In order to avoid subjectivist arbitrariness or the threat of letting each prevailing thought slip out of control without criticism, it is important to work in an unprejudiced space that will allow for abstract and epistemological distance - but without distancing oneself from the purpose and subject of scientific research.
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