Doing global urban studies: On the need for engaged pluralism, frame switching, and methodological cross-fertilization

By way of rejoinder to commentaries by members of the invisible college of postcolonial urbanism, we further develop issues of praxis regarding engaged pluralism and plead for its usefulness. Engaged pluralism when doing global urban studies depends on a research culture where both deconstructive and reconstructive moments are encouraged. Deconstruction benefits from the provincialization of all knowledge. Reconstruction can occur when we bracket ontological and epistemological incommensurability and focus on the cognitively enriching research praxis of frame switching, where research perspectives constitute nonexclusive, temporary, or alternating entries for research.