Upload
nicholas-wilson
View
278
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
1
What is Historical Sociology?
Nick Wilson—Berkeley SociologySoc 5—Evaluation of Evidence
April 13, 2010
2
Roadmap
1. Introduction2. Data3. Substance4. Analysis5. Explanation6. Coda
3
Roadmap
1. Introduction2. Data3. Substance4. Analysis5. Explanation6. Coda
4
What is Historical Sociology?
• Simple answer:The sub-discipline of sociology that attempts to mount social-scientific analysis of the human past
• Begs the question
Why would you want to?
5
Why Care?
• All of the founders of the discipline were historical sociologists– Weber– Durkheim– Marx
6Max Weber (1864-1920)
7Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)
8Karl Marx (1818-1883)
9Karl Marx (1818-1883)
10Groucho Marx (1890-1977)
11Richard Marx (b. 1963)
12Karl Marx (1818-1883)
13
Why Care?
• All of the founders of the discipline were historical sociologists– Weber– Marx– Durkheim
• Conservative count: 7 of the last 12 years of the ASA Best Book award have gone to historical sociology
14
Lecture Themes
1. Complexity– Instead, family resemblance
• What do things we call historical sociology share?
2. Hybridity– Science
• Gathers generalizeable knowledge about the social world
– Humanities• Uncovers the meaning of being human
3. Particularity/Generality– Particular events?
• The American Revolution as a singular event
– General patterns?• Revolutions in general, with the American Revolution as an example
15
Roadmap
1. Introduction2. Data3. Substance4. Analysis5. Explanation6. Coda
16
Sources
Two major families• Primary Data– Produced by the historical actors or during the
episode under study
17Magna Carta (1215 C. E.)
18
East India Company Court of Director’s Patronage Ledger (19th Century, India Office Records, London)
19John Speed World Map (1626?)
20James Cape
21
James Cape’s Slave Narrative, Transcribed during the Federal Writer’s Project, 1936-1938
22
Sources
Two major families• Primary Data– Produced by the historical actors or during the
episode under study– Usually found in archives
23
24
Sources
Two major families• Primary Data– Produced by the historical actors or during the episode
under study– Usually found in archives
• Secondary Data– Produced after the historical episode by scholars.– Historical monographs
• Specialized texts exploring an episode in great depth
– Usually found in libraries
25
How Are Sources Used?
• Scholars read primary and secondary texts for information about the past
• Judging what the text says and doesn’t say• Construct as accurate a picture of possible of
past events
26
27
Roadmap
1. Introduction2. Data3. Substance4. Analysis5. Explanation6. Coda
28
Substance (I): Focal Object
Western Capitalist Modernity
29
Substance (II): Capitalism
30
Substance (III): The State
31
Substance (IV): Civil Society
32
Substance (V): Science and Culture
33
Substance (VI): Civility and the Self
34
35
Roadmap
1. Introduction2. Data3. Substance4. Analysis5. Explanation6. Coda
36
Analysis: Time Matters!
The passage of time is analytically central 1. The past gives more data about rare events– Example: Revolutions
2. The past constrains the present– QWERTY keyboards
3. Events in the past constrain AND enable– The French revolution
37
Roadmap
1. Introduction2. Data3. Substance4. Analysis5. Explanation6. Coda
38
Methods of Explanation
1. Causal Narrative2. Teleology3. Experimental-Comparative4. Conjuncture
39
Methods of Explanation
1. Causal Narrative2. Teleology3. Experimental-Comparative4. Conjuncture
40
Causal NarrativeSecondary Cause
Secondary Cause
Primary Cause
Historical Event
41
Methods of Explanation
1. Causal Narrative2. Teleology3. Experimental-Comparative4. Conjuncture
42
Methods of Explanation
1. Causal Narrative2. Teleology3. Experimental-Comparative4. Conjuncture
43
Method of Agreement
[Cause 1, Cause 2, Cause 3] = Positive Outcome
[Cause 2, Cause 3, Cause 4] = Positive Outcome
44
Method of Agreement
[Cause 1, Cause 2, Cause 3] = Positive Outcome
[Cause 2, Cause 3, Cause 4] = Positive Outcome
45
Method of Agreement
Cause 2 + Cause 3 = Outcome
46
Method of Difference
[Cause A, Cause B, Cause C] = Positive Outcome
[Cause A, Cause B, Cause D] = Negative Outcome
47
Method of Difference
[Cause A, Cause B, Cause C] = Positive Outcome
[Cause A, Cause B, Cause D] = Negative Outcome
48
Method of Difference
Cause C = Outcome
49
Methods of Explanation
1. Causal Narrative2. Teleology3. Experimental-Comparative4. Conjuncture
50
Conjunctural ExplanationCause Cause
Cause
Historical EventCausal Conjuncture
51
Roadmap
1. Introduction2. Data3. Substance4. Analysis5. Explanation6. Coda
52