The Epistemic Advantage of the Periphery: A Self-socioanalysis of Academic Habitus in the European Scientific Field
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Published
Oct 30, 2025
Sandro Serpa
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4286-4440
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4286-4440
Abstract
This article challenges the notion that a peripheral position (geographical and/or symbolic) in the scientific field in relation to dominant centers is merely a structural disadvantage, advancing the thesis that can be converted into a distinct epistemic advantage. To defend this argument, the research is based on a Bourdieusian-inspired self-socioanalysis, in which the author examines his own trajectory as a sociologist in an ultra-peripheral territory (the islands of the Azores), using structural challenges as empirical data. The analysis concludes that the peripheral condition potentially fosters a specific academic habitus that transforms practical obstacles into objects of research. In this way, scientific objectivity is redefined not as neutrality, but as the ability to rigorously objectify one's own position in the field, converting disadvantages into strategic observation points. The main implication is that the subjectivity of the researcher, when rigorously analyzed, becomes a tool for uncovering power structures in science, demonstrating that the periphery can be a privileged starting point for a deeper and more objective sociology.
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Keywords
Participant Objectivation, Peripheral Academic Habitus, Reflexivity, Self-Socioanalysis, Scientific Field, Sociological Perspective
Supporting Agencies
Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences – CICS.UAc/CICS.NOVA.UAc, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of the Azores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
References
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Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J. C. (1990). Reproduction in education, society and culture. Sage Publications.
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Ferreira, C. M., & Serpa, S. (2018a). Publicising the identified peer-reviewer: Legitimacy and quality of the scientific publication. The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Educational Studies, 13(1), 11–17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18848/2327-011x/cgp/v13i01/11-17
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Sá, M. J., Ferreira, C. M., Santos, A. I., & Serpa, S. (2020). Publishing at any cost? The need for the improvement of the quality of scholarly publications. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(3), 214–221. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n3p214
Sá, M. J., & Serpa, S. (2018). Transversal competences: Their importance and learning processes by higher education students. Education Sciences, 8(3), 126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8030126
Sá, M. J., & Serpa, S. (2020). Some issues on the funding of the scientific publication in open access. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 9(4), 77–85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2020-0063
Serpa, S. (2015). Autonomy in leadership: A case study of the founder’s role in establishing an organization. Asian Social Science, 11(13), 212–220. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v11n13p212
Serpa, S. (2016). An overview of the concept of organizational culture. International Business Management, 10(1), 51–61.
Serpa, S. (2021a). Sociology and education in an academic career. Science Insights, 37(2), 277–280. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15354/si.21.fl005
Serpa, S. (2021b). Digital society and digital sociology: One thing leads to the other. Science Insights, 38(3), 314–316. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15354/si.21.ps016
Serpa, S., & Ferreira, C. M. (2018a). Goffman’s backstage revisited: Conceptual relevance in contemporary social interactions. International Journal of Social Science Studies, 6(10), 74–80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v6i10.3659
Serpa, S., & Ferreira, C. M. (2019). The concept of bureaucracy by Max Weber. International Journal of Social Science Studies, 7(2), 12–18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v7i2.3979
Serpa, S., & Ferreira, C. M. (2020a). Sociology: Tension between science and militant activism? Journal of Educational and Social Research, 10(6), 1–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2020-0105
Serpa, S., & Ferreira, C. M. (2020b). Heuristic potentials of the sociological imagination. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 10(4), 11–16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2020-0060
Serpa, S., Ferreira, C. M., Santos, A. I. S., Cheng, X., Cheung, A. C. K., Zhou, L., Sá, M. J., Pellegrini, M., & Wang, F. (2021). Future of scholarly publishing: A perspective. Science Insights, 39(3), 353–360. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15354/si.21.re239
Serpa, S., Micic, L., Štilić, A., & Mastilo, Z. (2025). Sociology of Artificial Intelligence for social sustainability in the Digital Age. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 14(1), 22–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2025-0003
Serpa, S., Wang, F., Zhou, L., & Keleş, Ö. (2024). Artificial Intelligence as author of scientific publications. Science Insights, 44(1), 1215–1219. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15354/si.24.re866
Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006
Anderson, L. (2006). Analytic autoethnography. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 35(4), 373–395. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0891241605280449
Atkinson, P. (2006). Rescuing autoethnography. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 35(4), 400–404. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0891241606286980
Bourdieu, P. (1988). Homo academicus. Stanford University Press.
Bourdieu, P. (1989). O poder simbólico [The Symbolic power]. Difel.
Bourdieu, P. (2003). Participant objectivation. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 9(2), 281–294. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9655.00150
Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J. C. (1990). Reproduction in education, society and culture. Sage Publications.
Bourdieu, P., & Wacquant, L. J. D. (1992). An invitation to reflexive sociology. University of Chicago Press.
Cussel, M., Raigal Aran, J., & Barranco, O. (2024). Academics in the semi-periphery: Translation and linguistic strategies on the rocky road to publishing in English. Social Science Information, 62(4), 440–464. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/05390184231221460
Ferreira, C. M., & Serpa, S. (2017). Challenges in the teaching of sociology in higher education: Contributions to a discussion. Societies, 7(4), 30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/soc7040030
Ferreira, C. M., & Serpa, S. (2018a). Publicising the identified peer-reviewer: Legitimacy and quality of the scientific publication. The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Educational Studies, 13(1), 11–17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18848/2327-011x/cgp/v13i01/11-17
Ferreira, C. M., & Serpa, S. (2018b). Sociological problem and social problem: Contributions to a discussion. Sociology and Anthropology, 6(11), 840–844. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13189/sa.2018.061104
Ferreira, C. M., & Serpa, S. (2018c). Informed consent in social sciences research: Ethical challenges. International Journal of Social Science Studies, 6(5), 13–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v6i5.3106
Ferreira, C. M., & Serpa, S. (2018d). The importance of preprint in scientific publication: Perspectives and challenges. The Journal of Social Sciences Research, 4(12), 642–647. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32861/jssr.412.642.647
Ferreira, C. M., & Serpa, S. (2018e). Online visibility, social networks and glamorous scientific publications. International Journal of Social Science Studies, 6(10), 58–66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v6i10.3652
Ferreira, C. M., & Serpa, S. (2018f). Society 5.0 and social development: Contributions to a discussion. Management and Organizational Studies, 5(4), 26–31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/mos.v5n4p26
Ferreira, C. M., & Serpa, S. (2021). Future anticipation in sociology. Science Insights, 39(1), 333–341. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15354/si.21.re229
Gibbons, M., Limoges, C., Nowotny, H., Schwartzman, S., Scott, P., & Trow, M. (1994). The new production of knowledge: The dynamics of science and research in contemporary societies. Sage.
Harding, S. G. (2004). The feminist standpoint theory reader: Intellectual and political controversies. Routledge.
James, N., & Lokhtina, I. (2018). Feeling on the periphery? The challenge of supporting academic development and identity through communities of practice. Studies in the Education of Adults, 50(1), 39–56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02660830.2018.1520561
Luczaj, K. (2020). Conceptualising the academic periphery: The case of Eastern European academic systems. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 18(5), 511–527. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2020.1789450
Marginson, S., & Xu, X. (2023). Hegemony and inequality in global science: Problems of the center-periphery model. Comparative Education Review, 67(1), 31–52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/722760
Mazzetti, A. C., Rubin-Oliveira, M., Pezarico, G., & Wielewicki, H. D. G. (2019). Relação centro x periferia: A universidade em debate [Center-periphery relationship: The university under debate]. Educação em Revista, 35, e193459. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-4698193459
Mills, C. W. (2000). The sociological imagination. Oxford University Press.
Rawat, S., & Meena, S. (2014). Publish or perish: Where are we heading? Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 19(2), 87–89.
Sá, M. J., Ferreira, C. M., Santos, A. I., & Serpa, S. (2020). Publishing at any cost? The need for the improvement of the quality of scholarly publications. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(3), 214–221. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n3p214
Sá, M. J., & Serpa, S. (2018). Transversal competences: Their importance and learning processes by higher education students. Education Sciences, 8(3), 126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8030126
Sá, M. J., & Serpa, S. (2020). Some issues on the funding of the scientific publication in open access. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 9(4), 77–85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2020-0063
Serpa, S. (2015). Autonomy in leadership: A case study of the founder’s role in establishing an organization. Asian Social Science, 11(13), 212–220. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v11n13p212
Serpa, S. (2016). An overview of the concept of organizational culture. International Business Management, 10(1), 51–61.
Serpa, S. (2021a). Sociology and education in an academic career. Science Insights, 37(2), 277–280. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15354/si.21.fl005
Serpa, S. (2021b). Digital society and digital sociology: One thing leads to the other. Science Insights, 38(3), 314–316. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15354/si.21.ps016
Serpa, S., & Ferreira, C. M. (2018a). Goffman’s backstage revisited: Conceptual relevance in contemporary social interactions. International Journal of Social Science Studies, 6(10), 74–80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v6i10.3659
Serpa, S., & Ferreira, C. M. (2019). The concept of bureaucracy by Max Weber. International Journal of Social Science Studies, 7(2), 12–18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v7i2.3979
Serpa, S., & Ferreira, C. M. (2020a). Sociology: Tension between science and militant activism? Journal of Educational and Social Research, 10(6), 1–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2020-0105
Serpa, S., & Ferreira, C. M. (2020b). Heuristic potentials of the sociological imagination. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 10(4), 11–16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2020-0060
Serpa, S., Ferreira, C. M., Santos, A. I. S., Cheng, X., Cheung, A. C. K., Zhou, L., Sá, M. J., Pellegrini, M., & Wang, F. (2021). Future of scholarly publishing: A perspective. Science Insights, 39(3), 353–360. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15354/si.21.re239
Serpa, S., Micic, L., Štilić, A., & Mastilo, Z. (2025). Sociology of Artificial Intelligence for social sustainability in the Digital Age. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 14(1), 22–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2025-0003
Serpa, S., Wang, F., Zhou, L., & Keleş, Ö. (2024). Artificial Intelligence as author of scientific publications. Science Insights, 44(1), 1215–1219. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15354/si.24.re866
Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006
How to Cite
Serpa, S. (2025). The Epistemic Advantage of the Periphery: A Self-socioanalysis of Academic Habitus in the European Scientific Field. Science Insights, 47(4), 1997–2004. https://doi.org/10.15354/si.25.or0502
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