Explanations and Theories of Historical Sociology: A Reconstruction of “Success Stories”
How to Cite
Rozov N.S. (2023) Explanations and Theories of Historical Sociology: A Reconstruction of “Success Stories”. Zhurnal sotsiologii i sotsialnoy antropologii (The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology), 26(2): 7-25 (in Russian). DOI: https://doi.org/10.31119/jssa.2023.26.2.1
Abstract
In article the approach to integration of heterogeneous methods for historical-sociological researches is stated. Explication of such cognitive processes is required for the construction and functioning of knowledge bases in advanced intelligent systems that integrate not only the hardware, interface, expert evaluations, decision-making, but also research teams. Main ideas of classical and modern methodology of science are taken as the basis. In the study of private phenomena, along with subject-relevant methods of obtaining and processing data, abduction as “inference to the best explanation” through a systematic comparison with alternative explanations according to given criteria. The movement at high levels of abstraction includes posing general questions regarding the structural elements and main processes in the subject area under study (“question logic” according to R. Collingwood), taking into account previously grounded principles and laws in the chosen research program (I. Lakatos), constructing conceptual constructions as heuristic means of understanding and explaining (St. Toulmin). In the need for more reliable knowledge depending on the nature of the available data different methods are used, among which qualitative comparative analysis (C. Ragin et al.) and hypothetico-deductive scheme of explanation (K. Hempel) in an extended version are indicated as promising for the polar types of cognitive situations. It is shown that in two striking “success stories” — research programs to identify the causes of state origin (R. Carneiro) and the mechanisms of geopolitical dynamics, state collapses (R. Collins) — common logic and the main stages of integrative explanatory approach are found.
Keywords:
historical sociology, intellectual systems, best explanation, hypothetic-deductive method, qualitative comparative analysis, origin of state, state collapse, geopolitical dynamics, Robert Carneiro, Randall Collins.
References
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Zinkina et al. (2016) Circumscription Theory of the Origins of the State: A Cross-Cultural Re-Analysis. Cliodynamics, 7(2): 187–203.
Carneiro R. (1988) The Circumscription Theory: Challenge and Response. American Behavioral Scientist, 31: 497–511.
Carneiro R.L. (1998) What Happened at the Flashpoint? Conjectures on Chiefdom Formation at the Very Moment of Conception.” In: Redmond E.M. (ed.) Chiefdoms and Chieftaincy in the Americas. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida: 18–42.
Carneiro R.L. (1970/2006) Teoriya proiskhojdeniya gosudarstve [Theory of the origin of the state]. In: Grinin L.E. (ed.) Ranneye gosudarstvo, ego aalternativy i analogi [The early state, its alternatives and analogues]. Volgograd: Uchitel: 55–70 (in Russian).
Carneiro R.L. (2012) The Circumscription Theory: A Clarification, Amplification, and Reformulation. Social Evolution and History, 11: 5–31.
Castillo O., Mellin P. (2006) Hybrid Intelligent Systems. Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
Chapman R., Wylie A. (2016) Evidential reasoning in archaeology. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
Clark J. T. (2010) The Fallacy of Reconstruction. In: Forte M. (ed.) Cyber Archaeology. Oxford: British Archaeological Records (BAR), International Series, 2177: 63–73.
Collingwood R. (1980) Ideya istorii. Avtobigrafiya [The idea of history. Autobiography]. Moscow: Nauka (in Russian).
Fogelin L. (2008) Inference to the Best Explanation: A Common and Effective Form of Archaeological Reasoning. American Antiquity, 72(4): 603–625.
Hempel C. (1942) The Function of General Laws in History. The Journal of Philosophy, 39(2): 35–48.
Klein L.S. (2001) Printsipy arkheologii [Principles of archeology]. St. Petersburg: Belvedere.
Ladenko I.S. (1973) Intellektual’nyae sistemy i logika [The Intelligent Systems and Logic]. Novosibirsk: Nauka (in Russian).
Lakatos I. (1995) Fal’sifikatiya i metodologiya issledovatel’skikh programm [Falsification and Methodology of Research Programs]. Moscow: Medium (in Russian).
Marcus J., Flannery K.V. (1996) Zapotec Civilization; How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico's Oaxaca Valley. London: Thames & Hudson.
Nikanorov S.P. (2009) Kontseptualizatsiya predmetnykh oblastei [Conceptualization of subject areas]. Moscow: Kontsept. (In Russian).
Ragin C. (1987) The Comparative Method: Moving Beyond Qualitative and Quantitative Strategies. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Renfrew C. (1976) Before Civilization. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin.
Rihoux B., Ragin C. (eds.) (2008) Configurational Comparative Methods. London: Sage.
Rozov N.S. (2002) Filosofia i teoria istorii. Kniga 1. Prolegomeny [Philosophy and Theory of History. Book 1. Prolegomena]. Moscow: Logos.
Rozov N.S. (2009) Istoricheskaya makrosotsiologiya: Metodologiya i metody [Historical Macrosociology: Methodology and Methods]. Novosibirsk: Novosibirsk State University (in Russian).
Rozov N.S. (2022) Proiskhojdenie yazyka i soznaniya. Kak sotsial’nye poriadki I kommunikativnye zaboty porojdali kognitivnyae i rechevye sposopnosti [The Origin of Language and Consciousness. How social orders and communicative concerns gave rise to cognitive and speech abilities]. Novosibirsk: Manuskript (in Russian).
Stinchcombe A. (1987) Constructing Social Theories. Chicago; London: University of Chicago Press.
Toulmin St. (1972) Human Understanding. Oxford: Clarendon Press; Oxford University Press.
Turchin P. et al. (2018) An Introduction to Seshat: Global History Databank. Journal of Cognitive Historiography, 5(1–2): 1–20.
Zinkina et al. (2016) Circumscription Theory of the Origins of the State: A Cross-Cultural Re-Analysis. Cliodynamics, 7(2): 187–203.
Article
Received: 27.10.2022
Accepted: 02.07.2023
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
ACM
[1]
Rozov, N.S. 2023. Explanations and Theories of Historical Sociology: A Reconstruction of “Success Stories”. Zhurnal sotsiologii i sotsialnoy antropologii (The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology). 26, 2 (Jun. 2023), 7-25. DOI:https://doi.org/10.31119/jssa.2023.26.2.1.
Section
Historical Sociology
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