Historical sociology has emerged as one of the branches of sociology.
In a sense, all sociological research is historical for the sociologists normally go into the records pertaining to the events that have happened or have been observed. “The term historical sociology is, however, usually applied to the study of social facts which are more than fifty or so years old”.
In actual practice, historical sociology has become a particular kind of comparative study of social groups. It is a study of social groups, their composition, their interrelationships and the social conditions that support or undermine them.
Image Source: s3.amazonaws.com
ADVERTISEMENTS:
If the social anthropologist looks at these things in contemporary simple societies, the historical sociologist examines them in comparison with the records of earlier societies and their cultures.
Some historians such as Rostovtzer, G. G. Coulton and Jacob Burkhardt, have written social history. “Social history is history which deals with human relations, social patterns, mores and customs and important institutions other than monarchy and army.” Social history has become “The history of people with the politics left out”. “It has now become the history of men and women in their social relationships and groupings”.
Social history has yet to establish itself as a separate discipline. Only a handful of people are busy with teaching it in British Universities. On the other hand, social history has gained much acceptance by sociologists. They have become aware of the significance of the past in the interpretation of the present.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Social history has been acknowledged as ‘historical sociology’ by sociologists. It is today one of the standard special fields of sociology. Sigmund Diamond, Robert Bellah and Norman Brinbaum may be pointed out as important contemporary practitioners of historical sociology.