An Indigenization Experiment in American Sociology

The purpose of this paper is to examine the indigenization experiment of Chicago sociology from the perspective of sociology of knowledge, with a particular focus on the urban studies of Chicago sociologists in the 1910s to 1930s. The summary of its results is as follows: Chicago sociologists, who were positioned between European social theories and American realities as well as between speculative sociology and the social survey movement in the early 20th century, were troubled over the direction of sociological studies. They attempted to solve the dilemmas by means of Americanization or, indigenization of sociology, without tilting to either side. Their experiment of indigenization proceeded to develop a new subject matter, alternative social theory and new methodology as well as the construction of its own academic community. However, this experiment was ceased due to the structural change of American society, America’s rapid urbanization, the vulnerability of theory and methodology, their internal troubles and the emergence of other alternative theories.