Historical sociology
Encyclopedia
Historical sociology is a branch of sociology
focusing on how societies
develop through history
. It looks at how social structure
that many regard as natural are in fact shaped by complex social processes. The structure in turn shapes institutions and organizations, and they affect the society - resulting in phenomena ranging from gender bias, income inequality and war
.
Contemporary historical sociology is primarily concerned with how the state
has developed since the Middle Ages
, analyzing relations between states, classes, economic and political systems.
to some Sociologists is the theory that events that happened in past, have some or a lot of influence on events that happen in the future. However the Sociologist Mahoney has a different defintion of path dependence. This theory suggests that "process, sequence, and temporality" have a valid reason for affecting path dependence and the meaning of past historical events. There are three path-dependent analyses with an explanation to how each theory works. "1) the study of causal processes that are especially sensitive, in a sequence, to early historical events, which are more important than later events; 2) these events are contingent occurrences that cannot be explained by prior events or initial conditions; and 3) that once contingent events take place, the path dependent sequence becomes a deterministic pattern."
in Historical Sociology. By bridging the gaps of different assumptions, casual agents and causual mechanisms are connected to the empirical analysis, and this is seen as the general theory. "...the debate over general theory in historical sociology with the goal of clarifying the use of this kind of theory in empirical research. General theories are defined as postulates about causal agents and causal mechanisms that are linked to empirical analysis through bridging assumptions. These theories can contribute to substantive knowledge by helping analysts derive new hypotheses, integrate existing findings, and explain historical outcomes. To illustrate these applications, the article considers five different general theories that have guided or could guide historical sociology: functionalist, rational choice, power, neo-Darwinian, and cultural theories. A key conclusion that emerges is that scholars must evaluate both the overall merits of general theory and the individual merits of specific general theories".
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
focusing on how societies
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
develop through history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
. It looks at how social structure
Social structure
Social structure is a term used in the social sciences to refer to patterned social arrangements in society that are both emergent from and determinant of the actions of the individuals. The usage of the term "social structure" has changed over time and may reflect the various levels of analysis...
that many regard as natural are in fact shaped by complex social processes. The structure in turn shapes institutions and organizations, and they affect the society - resulting in phenomena ranging from gender bias, income inequality and war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
.
Contemporary historical sociology is primarily concerned with how the state
State (polity)
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
has developed since the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, analyzing relations between states, classes, economic and political systems.
The Use Of History in Sociology
A common phrase regarding this subject is "Sociology is history with the hard work left out; history is sociology with the brains left out". As time has passed, History and Sociology have historically developed into two different specific academic disciplines. Historical data was used and is used today in mainly these three ways. There are many other ways and Sociologists can add different theories to it. The first one is: Examining a theory through a Parallel investigation. To correspond with the natural-science conceptions of laws, and to look at, or apply various historical material where you gather your resources in order to prove the theory that is applied. Or on the other hand sociologists for the parallel investigation theory could apply the theory to certain cases of investigation but in a different modalities of a more widely used process.The second theory that Sociologists mainly use: applying and contrasting certain events or policies. Analyzed by their specific, or what makes them in unique quality of a composition, certain events used by the Sociologist for comparative data can be contrasted and compared. For interpretive Sociologists it is very common for them to use the 'Verstehen' tradition. And lastly, the third way sociologists typically relate is by taking a look at the causalities from a macro point of view. This is Mill's method: " a) principle of difference: a case with effect and cause present is contrasted with a case with effect and cause absent; and b) principle of agreement: cases with same effects are compared in terms of their (ideally identical) causes. There is an important debate on the usefulness of Mill’s method for sociological research, which relates to the fact that historical research is often based on only few cases and that many sociological theories are probabilistic, not deterministic.. Today, historical sociology is measured by a conjunction of questions that are rich in detailPath Dependence In Historical Sociology
Path dependencePath dependence
Path dependence explains how the set of decisions one faces for any given circumstance is limited by the decisions one has made in the past, even though past circumstances may no longer be relevant....
to some Sociologists is the theory that events that happened in past, have some or a lot of influence on events that happen in the future. However the Sociologist Mahoney has a different defintion of path dependence. This theory suggests that "process, sequence, and temporality" have a valid reason for affecting path dependence and the meaning of past historical events. There are three path-dependent analyses with an explanation to how each theory works. "1) the study of causal processes that are especially sensitive, in a sequence, to early historical events, which are more important than later events; 2) these events are contingent occurrences that cannot be explained by prior events or initial conditions; and 3) that once contingent events take place, the path dependent sequence becomes a deterministic pattern."
The Debate over general theory in sociology
A sociologist James Mahoney revisited the debate over general theoryGeneral Theory
General theory may refer to:*Generalized Theory of Gravitation*General Theory of Relativity*General Systems Theory*Generalized cohomology theory*General theory of collaboration...
in Historical Sociology. By bridging the gaps of different assumptions, casual agents and causual mechanisms are connected to the empirical analysis, and this is seen as the general theory. "...the debate over general theory in historical sociology with the goal of clarifying the use of this kind of theory in empirical research. General theories are defined as postulates about causal agents and causal mechanisms that are linked to empirical analysis through bridging assumptions. These theories can contribute to substantive knowledge by helping analysts derive new hypotheses, integrate existing findings, and explain historical outcomes. To illustrate these applications, the article considers five different general theories that have guided or could guide historical sociology: functionalist, rational choice, power, neo-Darwinian, and cultural theories. A key conclusion that emerges is that scholars must evaluate both the overall merits of general theory and the individual merits of specific general theories".
Authors
- Randall Collins
- Norbert EliasNorbert EliasNorbert Elias was a German sociologist of Jewish descent, who later became a British citizen.-Biography:...
- Michel FoucaultMichel FoucaultMichel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
(15 October 1926 – 25 June 1984) - John A. Hall
- Michael Mann
- Karl MarxKarl MarxKarl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
- Theda SkocpolTheda SkocpolTheda Skocpol is an American sociologist and political scientist at Harvard University. She served from 2005 to 2007 as Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. She is influential in sociology as an advocate of the historical-institutional and comparative approaches, and well-known in...
- Charles TillyCharles TillyCharles Tilly was an American sociologist, political scientist, and historian who wrote on the relationship between politics and society. He was the Joseph L. Buttenwieser Professor of Social Science at Columbia University....
(May 27, 1929 – April 29, 2008) - Immanuel WallersteinImmanuel WallersteinImmanuel Maurice Wallerstein is a US sociologist, historical social scientist, and world-systems analyst...
- Max WeberMax WeberKarl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
See also
- Comparative sociologyComparative sociologyComparative sociology generally refers to sociological analysis that involves comparison of social processes between nation-states, or across different types of society ....
- Historical comparative researchHistorical comparative researchHistorical comparative research is the study of past events and questions using methods in sociology and other social scientific research to inform the possible outcomes and answers to current events and questions. Beginning in the late 1950s, the discipline of history became more linked with...
- History of sociologyHistory of sociologySociology emerged from enlightenment thought, shortly after the French Revolution, as a positivist science of society. Its genesis owed to various key movements in the philosophy of science and the philosophy of knowledge. Social analysis in a broader sense, however, has origins in the common stock...
- Sociocultural evolutionSociocultural evolutionSociocultural evolution is an umbrella term for theories of cultural evolution and social evolution, describing how cultures and societies have changed over time...
- World-systems approach
Further reading
- Charles Tilly, Historical Sociology, in Scott G. McNall & Gary N. Howe, eds., Current Perspectives in Social Theory. Vol. I. (1980) Greenwich, Connecticut: JAI Press, online
- Charles Tilly, Historical Sociology, in International Encyclopedia of the Behavioral and Social Sciences (2001) Amsterdam: Elsevier. Vol. 10, 6753–6757, online
- Charles Tilly, Three Visions of History and Theory, in History and Theory (2007) 46: 299-307, online
- Charles Tilly, History of and in Sociology, introduction to the didactic seminar on methodologies of the history of sociology, American Sociological Association annual meeting, Montréal, May 2007, online
- George Steinmetz, 'Ideas in Exile: Refugees from Nazi Germany and the Failure to Transplant Historical Sociology into the United States.” International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, 2010.
- George Steinmetz, 'The Historical Sociology of Historical Sociology: Germany and the United States in the 20th century', Sociologica (Italian Journal of Sociology online)2008 February). online
- George Steinmetz,'The Relations between Sociology and History in the United States: The Current State of Affairs', Journal of Historical Sociology 20:1-2 (2007): 1-12.