Chinese Sociology: “Chinese Learning” or “Western Learning”

Abstract

Both the problem consciousness and research characteristics reflected in Chinese sociological traditions are closely connected with the changes and development of the contemporary Chinese society and thus have an impact on the basic features of Chinese sociology. The “for oneself” tradition of Chinese sociology has displayed a fully–open mind for the tradition, the core thought and issue resources of western sociology, and at the same time, it also reflects Chinese solid research on western traditions. This tradition is of great inspiration for us to reflect on the challenges and relevant disputes confronting Chinese sociology today, for how to define and think about the “Chinese learning” or “western learning” problem in Chinese sociology is at the same time a core issue both in the disputes between the theory and the methodology, and in interpreting Chinese “localized” sociology as a discipline.

Keywords

• sociology
• problem consciousness
• tradition
• western