Teaching Classical Sociological Theory In Singapore: The Context Of Eurocentrism

We argue that there is a need to rethink the teaching of classical sociological theories given our concern with the limitations of the received theoretical canon, and through our encounters with students of sociology who also persistently ask that the classics be shown to be meaningful and of contemporary relevance. In our teaching, we highlight Eurocentrism as an additional and essential context for understanding the rise of classical sociological theory, and to attune students in more meaningful ways to the works of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim. Ironically, such an approach constitutes a new form of legitimating the classics by revealing their timeless qualities, notwithstanding their Eurocen- trism.