21. Yüzyıl Bölge Çalışmaları: Üç Yaklaşım

Bölge çalışmaları 21. yüzyılda derin dönüşümler geçirmektedir. Bunların bir kısmı sosyal bilim disiplinlerindeki dönüşüme paralel gerçekleşmiş ve bu dönüşümlerde tek/çok kutupluluk, küreselleşme ve göç gibi dönemin başlıklarının etkisi görülmüştür. Bu dönüşümün arkasında alana yönelik sancılı bir eleştiri ve özeleştiri süreci vardır. Diğer yandan bölge çalışmaları alanına özgü yeni kuramsal ve yöntemsel eğilimler de ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu çalışmada bölge çalışmalarının küresel olarak geldiği yeni yer haritalandırılacak ayrıca yeni kuramsal ve yöntemsel eğilimler sunulacaktır. Bölge çalışmalarının 21. yüzyılda; ana akım bölge çalışmaları, karşılaştırmalı bölge çalışmaları ve eleştirel bölge çalışmaları olarak üç farklı eksende nasıl geliştiği, bu eksenlerin alanın geleneksel sorunlarına getirdiği çözümleri ve birbirleriyle ilişkilerini aktarılacaktır. Bu farklı eğilimlerin evrensel ve tikel; kuram ve ampirik veri gibi temel gerilimleri nasıl çözdüğüne, hangi bilgi kategorilerinde üretim yaptıklarına bakacak ve bölge çalışmalarının temel nesnesi olan “bölge”yi ontolojik açıdan nasıl kavramsallaştırdıklarını ele alacaktır.

21st Century Area Studies: Three Approaches

In 21st century, area studies are undergoing deep transformations. Part of these transformations are occurring in parallel to transformation in disciplines in social sciences, reflecting the discussions around themes of this period, such as uni/multi polarity; globalization and migration. On the other hand, new theoretical and methodological tendencies that are unique to area studies are also emerging. Behind this period of transformations, there lies a painful process of criticism and self-reflection. This study will map out the area studies in this century and present its new approaches. 21st century area studies will be divided into three axes: mainstream area studies; comparative area studies and critical area studies. It will present their solutions to the traditional problems of the field and their interplay with one another. It will examine how that solve the classic tensions such as universal vs particular; theory vs empirical data; their knowledge production processes and their ontological approach to the “area”.

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