1. What is Historical Sociology? Nick Wilson—Berkeley Sociology Soc 5—Evaluation of Evidence April 13, 2010 1

2. Roadmap Introduction Data Substance Analysis Explanation Coda 2

3. Roadmap Introduction Data Substance Analysis Explanation Coda 3

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? 4

5. Why Care? All of the founders of the discipline were historical sociologists Weber Durkheim Marx 5

6. Max Weber (1864-1920) 6

7. Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) 7

8. Karl Marx (1818-1883) 8

9. Karl Marx (1818-1883) 9

10. Groucho Marx (1890-1977) 10

11. Richard Marx (b. 1963) 11

12. Karl Marx (1818-1883) 12

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 13

14. Lecture Themes Complexity Instead, family resemblance What do things we call historical sociology share? Hybridity Science Gathers generalizeable knowledge about the social world Humanities Uncovers the meaning of being human Particularity/Generality Particular events? The American Revolution as a singular event General patterns? Revolutions in general, with the American Revolution as an example 14

15. Roadmap Introduction Data Substance Analysis Explanation Coda 15

16. Sources Two major families Primary Data Produced by the historical actors or during the episode under study 16

17. Magna Carta (1215 C. E.) 17

18. East India Company Court of Director’s Patronage Ledger (19th Century, India Office Records, London) 18

19. John Speed World Map (1626?) 19

20. James Cape 20

21. James Cape’s Slave Narrative, Transcribed during the Federal Writer’s Project, 1936-1938 21

22. Sources Two major families Primary Data Produced by the historical actors or during the episode under study Usually found in archives 22

23. 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 24

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 25

26. 26

27. Roadmap Introduction Data Substance Analysis Explanation Coda 27

28. Substance (I): Focal Object Western Capitalist Modernity 28

29. Substance (II): Capitalism 29

30. Substance (III): The State 30

31. Substance (IV): Civil Society 31

32. Substance (V): Science and Culture 32

33. Substance (VI): Civility and the Self 33

34. 34

35. Roadmap Introduction Data Substance Analysis Explanation Coda 35

36. Analysis: Time Matters! The passage of time is analytically central The past gives more data about rare events Example: Revolutions The past constrains the present QWERTY keyboards Events in the past constrain AND enable The French revolution 36

37. Roadmap Introduction Data Substance Analysis Explanation Coda 37

38. Methods of Explanation Causal Narrative Teleology Experimental-Comparative Conjuncture 38

39. Methods of Explanation Causal Narrative Teleology Experimental-Comparative Conjuncture 39

40. Causal Narrative Secondary Cause Secondary Cause Primary Cause Historical Event 40

41. Methods of Explanation Causal Narrative Teleology Experimental-Comparative Conjuncture 41

42. Methods of Explanation Causal Narrative Teleology Experimental-Comparative Conjuncture 42

43. Method of Agreement [Cause 1, Cause 2, Cause 3] = Positive Outcome [Cause 2, Cause 3, Cause 4] = Positive Outcome 43

44. Method of Agreement [Cause 1, Cause 2, Cause 3] = Positive Outcome [Cause 2, Cause 3, Cause 4] = Positive Outcome 44

45. Method of Agreement Cause 2 + Cause 3 = Outcome 45

46. Method of Difference [Cause A, Cause B, Cause C] = Positive Outcome [Cause A, Cause B, Cause D] = Negative Outcome 46

47. Method of Difference [Cause A, Cause B, Cause C] = Positive Outcome [Cause A, Cause B, Cause D] = Negative Outcome 47

48. Method of Difference Cause C = Outcome 48

49. Methods of Explanation Causal Narrative Teleology Experimental-Comparative Conjuncture 49

50. Conjunctural Explanation Cause Cause Cause Historical Event Causal Conjuncture 50

51. Roadmap Introduction Data Substance Analysis Explanation Coda 51

52. 52