Epistemic diversity and cross-cultural comparative research: ontology, challenges, and outcomes

Abstract

This paper reflects on the transpositional comparison in Marginson and Yang’s article in this special issue, with a focused discussion on epistemic diversity and cross-cultural comparative research. It argues that in global research, epistemic diversity largely co-exists with epistemic inequity and injustice, despite long-standing normative appeals. Against this backdrop, cross-cultural comparative studies have significant value, albeit facing a range of challenges. There are five outcomes of cross-cultural encounters: assimilation, immiscibility, and being different together (including unity in diversity, harmony with diversity, and together with diversity). Although East–West encounters demonstrated all possible outcomes, being different together is both possible and valuable, not only for East–West encounters but also for cross-civilisational comparisons.