Define historical method of research and explain its importance in sociological research.
Karl Marx— Materialistic structure of societies accounts for development of society hence, historical method is applied to the materialistic view of society.
Max Weber—Under historical method, the particular historical changes of social structures and kinds of society are investigated and compared in certain respects with changes in other societies. In this way, both causal explanation and historical interpretations find a place in the social explanation.
It becomes apparent from the above difficulty on historical method that historians try to increase our accurate knowledge of unique phenomena of the past. They use different data collected through different areas, viz. they have started using data generated by sociologists for their own writings.
Importance in sociological research
(i) Historical data can be interpreted in more than one way by the sociologists. These are used by sociologists. It was employed by Karl Marx and Max Weber.
(ii) It has been used for understanding human societies in view of its direct connection with dialectical materialism. It is used because the materialistic structure of societies accounts for development of them.
(iii) It can be used for studies of the origin of capitalism, development of modern bureaucracy and economic influence of capitalism on the world religion. It has been illustrated by Max weber in his-protestant ethics and spirit of capitalism.
(iv) In this method, particular historical changes of social structures and types of society are investigated and compared simultatnuously with changes in other societies. In this manner of study, both causal explanation and historical interpretations find a place in the social explanation.
(v) Three major sources of historical information are (a) documents and authentic information collected by thorough study on history (b) cultural history material and essence of debates on cultural issues (c) personal sources of authentic observers and witnessees. Moreover, use of these sources depends solely on discretion of researcher
Whether combinations of more than one method can be resorted to while on the way to prepare a research project?
What is comparative method of research? Discuss its importance and limitations.
Describe the importance of functional method in research projects.
What do you understand by research?
