from cpython.type cimport PyType_IsSubtype class mylist(list): pass def test_issubtype(a, b): """ >>> test_issubtype(mylist, list) True >>> test_issubtype(mylist, dict) False >>> o = object() >>> test_issubtype(o, list) Traceback (most recent call last): ... TypeError: Cannot convert object to type """ return PyType_IsSubtype(a, b)