Paradigm Reconstruction of Area Studies from the Perspective of Mutual Learning Among Civilizations

In the context of profound global transformations, the field of area studies faces unprecedented epistemological and methodological challenges. This article argues that beyond shifts in geopolitical power, the ongoing restructuring of the global knowledge order necessitates a paradigmatic rethinking of how we understand world regions and civilizational differences. Drawing from the perspective of mutual learning among civilizations, the article identifies deep structural limitations in the traditional area studies paradigm—rooted in Cold War epistemologies, Orientalist assumptions, and singular modernity. It proposes a paradigm reconstruction along four dimensions: epistemology (reconceptualizing difference), methodology (shifting from external explanation to internal understanding), research stance (moving from objectification to intersubjectivity), and research goal setting (from adversarial to cooperative knowledge). Furthermore, the article outlines the unique mission and responsibility of area studies in China in the process of this reconstruction, advocating a shift from knowledge reception to knowledge production, and from regional observation to active co-construction of global knowledge. This paradigm shift aims to transform area studies from a tool of competition into a platform for understanding, coexistence, and civilizational dialogue in the twenty-first century.