Postcolonial thought is an intellectual approach that recognizes the importance of empire and colonialism in the making of the modern world, including the constitution of modern culture and knowledge. Although postcolonial thought has resonated strongly in the academic humanities, this book explores its implications for social science and, in particular, social theory and sociology. After introducing the respective histories of social theory and postcolonial thought, the book discusses the various waves of postcolonial thought, beginning with the first wave of prominent thinkers and authors, such as W. E. B. Du Bois, Frantz Fanon, Aime Cesaire, Amilcar Cabral, and C. L. R. James. After examining this history, it discusses the second-wave of postcolonial thought, including the work of prominent authors such as Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, and Homi Bhabha. The book presents the postcolonial challenge to social theory, and charts various strategies for crafting a postcolonial social science. Although some scholars suggest that postcolonial thought and social science are incompatible, this book explores points of convergence as well as difference, and argues for a third wave of postcolonial thought emerging within social science.