Sociological Standpoints and Knowledge, Decoloniality, and Indigeneity: A Social Work Critique and Pathways Forward

Abstract

Sociology and social work have a 130-year asymmetrically intertwined history in the knowledge production of social work education and professional practice. Sociology provides knowledge bases, standpoints, grand and middle-range theories, methodologies and models to social work. This article aims to provide an overview of sociological standpoints and knowledge, together with their critiques, through a decolonial lens. Additionally, it aims to present decoloniality and indigeneity as alternative pathways to Euro-American onto-epistemological frameworks to knowledge production.  Based on a review of the literature, this article is organized into three themes: sociological standpoints, knowledge, and their critiques; coloniality, decoloniality and indigenizing projects; and South Asian pluriversality and indigenization of social work in Nepal and India: pathways forward. First, the article presents the overview of Western-centric onto-epistemic position of sociological standpoints and knowledge and their critiques. Second, it presents claims regarding coloniality, decoloniality, and indigeneity through the standpoints of decolonial sociologists and social work educators. Finally, it presents South Asian pluriversality and indigenization of social work education in Nepal and India as pathways forward. Moreover, author purposefully urges social work academics to position themselves reflexively and critically to rejuvenate indigenous knowledge and practice systems. Furthermore, author suggests social work academics to show epistemic humility, trust, justice and being non-hierarchical to western-centric knowledge systems and practices.