Methods and Nations

Focusing on the critique of comparative politics in the context of nation-building in the "Third World," the book challenges the universalization of state-centric social science practices. Michael Shapiro highlights the "cognitive imperialism" that has led international relations theorists to overlook alternative political expressions and modes of understanding that exist outside conventional nationhood frameworks. By bringing attention to these marginalized perspectives, the work aims to reshape the discourse surrounding political identity and social science methodologies.