Sociology at a crossroads. The field of sociology in peru

Abstract

This essay seeks to examine key debates surrounding several significant issues. In the first part, it addresses, first, the examination of the opposing perspectives regarding the role that sociologists should play in this era of transition within the uncertain modern/colonial world-system in which we live. Second, it explores a central epistemological problem in sociology: the debate over the predominance of grand theory versus empirical research in sociological practice. The third issue examines the debate on democracy, the assumptions underlying different arguments and the paths designed for its development. In the second part, the essay seeks to trace some elements that may bring us closer to the question of where sociology is heading, offering reflections on the future of the discipline in light of the tension between social engineering and social critique. While the future, and the subsequent development of sociology, is inherently uncertain, it is also possible that we can contribute to shaping it. With this purpose, the third part proposes several ideas that may aid in building a decolonial social science. Considering the complexity of the sociological field presented here, we find ourselves at a crossroads where it becomes imperative to foster the development of a critical and utopian sociology capable of understanding and transforming the world we live in.