Coordinating localism and cosmopolitanism in social science studies: Perspective on the debate of ‘indigenization’ in China

Abstract

Localism and Cosmopolitanism are fundamental categories in social science research, representing opposing viewpoints between practicality and scientific rigor, localism and cosmopolitanism, and nationalism and universalism. These opposing viewpoints are clearly manifested in the debate over ‘indigenization’ that has emerged in China’s social science field since the beginning of this century. Although the debate involves a wide range of issues, the most important concerns the extent to which Western social science knowledge is valid in a Chinese context. This can be posed as the more general question: To what extent is social science knowledge originating from a specific region valid in other places? The question is a specific manifestation of the division between localism and cosmopolitanism in the relationship between China and the West. This article explores the relationship between localism and cosmopolitanism by examining it from the perspective of ‘pluralistic cosmopolitanism’.