Need for Indigenization

• Indigenization in social sciences in Asia is a significant intellectual crisis. Native scholars question the appropriateness of theories and methods imported from abroad and push for the adoption of native categories and indigenous research techniques.
• Indigenization takes different forms in different countries: in some, it is a plea for recognition and growth of native social sciences to contribute to nation-building; in others, it advocates for using the national language in instruction and research reports.
• Despite reaction against external theories, there has been limited progress in constructing an indigenous social science. The focus remains on national perspectives, though questions remain if Asian perspectives will emerge or lead to parochial regional social sciences.
• Calls for indigenization, while widespread, are yet to go beyond the reactive phase. Different sources emphasize different aspects, and the definitional crisis of indigenization has not been resolved.
• Social sciences in Asia have evolved at different rates, influenced by respective colonial masters. The period of entry, focus on disciplines, and orientation of the first native social scientists were shaped by colonial history.
• Decolonization was articulated as a process of localization or nativization. Leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru advocated for Indianization during the freedom struggle.
• Proponents of indigenization are careful not to fall into rhetoric or chauvinism, seeking to avoid appearing as simply reacting to Western dominance.
• Atal (2003) highlights several positive aspects of indigenization:
  1. Self-awareness and rejection of borrowed knowledge, promoting internal perspectives to replace Western ways of understanding societies.
  2. Advocates for alternative perspectives to make social sciences less parochial and more enriching.
  3. Historical and cultural specificity should drive the development of social sciences, providing dynamic perspectives on national problems.
  4. Indigenization should not lead to narrow parochialism or the fragmentation of social sciences but must avoid both false universalism and false nationalism.
• Krishna Kumar (1979) outlines three types of indigenization:
  • Structural indigenization: Refers to a nation’s capability to produce and spread social science knowledge.
  • Substantive indigenization: Focuses on content, where social sciences should address the society, people, and institutions of the nation.
  • Theoretic indigenization: Involves constructing distinctive frameworks and meta-theories that reflect the nation’s worldviews, social experiences, and goals.
• Kumar argues that structural and substantive indigenization are less problematic, but theoretic indigenization is more challenging. He suggests that transnational cooperation should be encouraged over isolationist approaches.
• Indigenization involves balancing the diffusion of a universal social science culture with the need for roots in specific cultural contexts. The term “indigenization” is preferred over endogenous development, which implies development entirely from within without exogenous influence.
• The concern for indigenization is global, not limited to the Third World. Even developed countries are discussing indigenization, with examples like “Canadization.”
• John Samy of Fiji describes a situation where foreign researchers and local researchers are at cross-purposes. While foreign researchers aim to benefit local communities, local Pacific Islanders prefer to guide the researchers and advise on relevant research topics.

Attempts for Indigenization

According to Atal (2003), indigenization in the Asian context has been pursued along four main fronts:

1. Teaching in the national language and the use of local materials.
2. Research by insiders, emphasizing the involvement of local scholars in research processes.
3. Determination of research priorities, focusing on issues and topics relevant to the local context.
4. Theoretical and methodological reorientation, which calls for a shift in both theory and methods to better align with the local society and culture.