Historiographic approaches and methods of sociological science

Abstract

The article presents various approaches and methods of historiographic research, shows the interrelation between history and historiography. The works depicting the historiographic analysis of important sociological categories and concepts are singled out. The subject, methods and tasks of historiographic studies of the knowledge of sociological science are characterized. Types and varieties of historiographic sources are indicated. The article definitely starts the sociological direction in historiography, highlights the degree of study of historiographic and source research problems. The historiography of sociological science is defined as a branch of knowledge that studies the history of accumulation of sociological knowledge, the development of sociological thought and research methodology, the history of the creation of sociological works and biographies of scientists, the influence of sociopolitical life phenomena on the work of sociologists and the impact of sociological thought on public consciousness, the history of scientific institutions , organization of sociological education and dissemination of sociological knowledge.Attention is drawn to the experience of one of the most famous and influential historiographic schools of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries – the Klyuchevsky school. This school carried out a synthesis of history and sociology. Revising the conceptual tools of knowledge of the past, which the preceding historiography had, he largely shaped the subject and method of national history in a new way, focusing on analyzing the evolution of the social structure of society, researching social and economic processes, rather than describing outstanding events. Due to this, the emphasis from political and legal history was shifted to the socio-economic history. This research orientation had a clear humanistic orientation, as it brought historical research closer to the person in his social environment.The historiography of the sociological approach in the microdynamic studies of J. Turner is described, which reflects the nature and direction of theoretical studies, which are distinguished by an orientation towards active theoretical and multilateral conceptual synthesis. Attention is drawn to the fact that the very fact of developing a theory of this type testifies to the nature of the unfolding of theoretical perspectives in modern sociology. T. Kuhn’s role in the development of historiographic research is shown. In particular, the historiography and sociological aspect of Kuhn’s theory is that various episodes in the development of historiography of sociological science contribute to reconstructing the historical process of sociology, revealing its beginnings and ends, and bridging the gap between sociological theorists and social practices.