In this talk, I will argue that dominant understandings of public sociology place too much emphasis on the flow of knowledge from professional academics to wider publics. Here, professional sociologists are often presented as Platonic ‘philosopher kings’, while publics are portrayed as vacuous masses. By contrast, I will suggest that a proper public sociology ought to also involve the flow of knowledge from counter-publics to professional sociologists. I will draw upon examples of classical sociologists - such as W.E.B Du Bois and St Clair Drake - to show how this public sociology and dialogical theorizing has played out in the past, where we see an intimate relationship between the professional (sociological) academy, and anti-colonial and anti-racist activism. In such cases, I show how classical sociologists developed their critiques of the global colorline through an ongoing engagement with, and mentorship from, anti colonial and antiracist radicals. I will then consider how contemporary sociologists might too partake in such dialogical theorizing, contemplating the promises and pitfalls of public sociology today.

Dr. Ali Meghji is an Associate professor in sociology at the University of Cambridge. His work draws on postcolonial sociology to analyse the historical and transnational dimensions of racialization and racism. Most recently he is the author of the forthcoming ‘Along the colorline: towards a Du Boisian sociology’ for Princeton University Press, and he is currently researching the supposed de-Americanisation of the Pan-African movement of the early-mid 20^th century. He is the Chair of the ASA’s Theory section, and co-editor of the British Journal of Sociology.

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