We here at the Brinson Sociological Institute believe in and practice preposteriority. What is preposteriority? Many confuse this term with a technique of Bayesian analysis, called preposterior analysis. However, the doctrine of preposteriority is different. While statistics is certainly a legitimate discipline and has improved society by making it easier to bet on sporting events, statistics and sociology have absolutely nothing to do with one another. Since statistics and sociology are two different subjects, preposteriority means something different in each discipline.
The roots of preposteriority in sociology can be traced back to the 1940s. After World War II, scholars developed a new awareness of the temporal dimension of human life and the importance of locating ourselves and our theories in the long arc of history. Every theory of society required a marker of “pre” or “post” to distinguish it from what came before or after it. Before scholars were aware of time, we all simply lived in modern society (except the savages). However, French theorists eventually developed the concept of “postmodernism” as a way to distance themselves from the influence of American culture brought to France by American soldiers occupying the country under the Marshall Plan. It is no coincidence that Europeans entered the “post-colonial” period shortly thereafter, as former colonial empires of France, Britain, and other Allied nations collapsed. The former colonies in Africa and South Asia were embarrassed to be affiliated with what they perceived as “wimpy” nations who had been nearly defeated by the Nazis. So they threw off the shackles of the old empires and began watching Hollywood films and listening to rock n' roll music, perceiving an imperial relationship with the United States to be more advantageous to their interests.
As the world entered the “post-modern” and “post-colonial” world, scholars realized that there must also have existed a “pre-modern” and “pre-colonial” world at one time. Hence, the discipline of archaeology was born, and Steven Spielberg was inspired to make the movie, Jurassic Park. Since that time, scholars have coined a variety of terms to describe society, mostly using the “post” designation. Examples include:
At the B.S. Institute, we think the use of “post” to designate a new social theory has gotten a bit out of hand and argue that scholars should abandon this enterprise. In its place, we aim to advance a sociology that goes back to its roots, before the current fad of recognizing the temporal limits of our theorizing. Much like Michael J. Fox went “back to the future,” we aim to create a sociological theory that moves forward by moving backwards. To this theory, we attach the name of “preposteriority.”
Let's unpack this term to examine in more detail what a “preposterous” sociology looks like.
First, as suggested above, the doctrine of “preposteriority” is “pre-post”: it asserts the universality of our theory by distancing itself from the intellectual trends that demand you attach the prefix “post” to something. We know that history does not move in a single direction, a continuous march of progress or decline towards some destination. Time may in fact be cyclical. Eliminating the use of “pre” and “post” from the names of concepts is an important step to getting beyond, once and for all, those naïve scholars who brought such a conception of time into their thinking. Moreover, we believe that the label “post” has become an intellectual prison. It constrains our thinking, and more importantly, it constrains our dreaming. For these reasons, preposteriority is post-pre-post-ness.
Second, the doctrine of “preposteriority,” is pre-posterior. Of course, you all know that “posterior” is another word for one's caboose. And many of you had parents or teachers who scolded you never to assume something, because (ass/u/me) “it makes an ass out of you and me.” Here at the B.S. Institute, we believe firmly in this doctrine. When it comes to the study of society, one should never make assumptions. We believe firmly in collecting and analyzing all the data before jumping to conclusions. In short, being “pre-posterior” means that, before you make an ass of yourself, you must meticulously study your subject and subject yourself to rigorous criticism. All the work done at the B.S. Institute is held to these high standards.
We hope that this explanation
of “preposteriority” has clarified
the guiding philosophy of the Brinson Sociological Institute. Especially
for those people who are well-versed and practiced in conventional sociological
theory, accepting this doctrine may be difficult. As the saying goes, it
is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. However younger scholars are more
receptive, and we believe that the proof is in the pudding. The works on
this page are evidence of the merits of this approach. Here in the 21st Century,
we need a 21st Century Sociology. The BS Institute believes that preposteriority
is the most promising theoretical orientation for developing a thorough understanding
our rapidly changing society. In short, a preposterous society requires a
preposterous sociology. We hope that you will accept this invitation to embark
on this journey with us.