Social Science History

Principles and Procedures for Processing Historical Evidence
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-1-009-50004-3
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 260 Seiten

Reihe: Strategies for Social Inquiry

Historical analysis sits at the heart of the social sciences, yet historical data is often treated as if it provides objective knowledge about the past. This book challenges this assumption, revealing the uncertainty, selectivity, and interpretive mediation embedded in every historical claim. Advocating an intersubjectivist approach that avoids both naïve positivism and radical relativism, the authors show how rigorous historical analysis can strengthen theory building, causal inference, and generalization. Along the way, the book highlights common hazards – from presentism and confirmation bias to unreflective data use – that threaten the credibility of historical research. Outlining five general principles, each supported by practical procedures, it provides a clear roadmap for reducing bias and strengthening the credibility of social science history. The result is an essential methodological guide for social scientists seeking to use historical evidence with greater clarity, care, and scholarly integrity.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Møller, Jørgen

Skaaning, Svend-Erik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface; Introduction; Part I. The Case for Social Science History: 1. The case for integrating social science and history; 2. Social science history: approaches and trends; Part II. The Problem of Historical Knowledge: 3. Historical uncertainty; 4. Reading history backward; Part III. Selection and Use of Historical Sources: 5. How to handle primary sources: the veto principle and external and internal criticism; 6. How to handle secondary sources: the Ulysses principle, priorities, and tradeoffs; 7. Compiling and using historical datasets: approaches, challenges, and evaluation; 8. The importance of getting the context right in quantitative historical analysis: how systematic measurement error undermines causal analysis; Conclusions; Appendix: avoiding false historical analogies in controlled comparisons.

Über Autor(innen)

Møller, Jørgen
Jørgen Møller is Professor of Political Science at Aarhus University. His research interests include history and politics, democratization and rule of law, patterns of state formation, and comparative methodology. His work has been published in journals including Journal of Politics, American Journal of Political Science and International Organization, and in books with Oxford University Press and Routledge.

Skaaning, Svend-Erik
Svend-Erik Skaaning is Professor of Political Science at Aarhus University. His research interests include comparative methodology, conceptualization, measurement, regime change, conflict, and state capacity. His work has been published in journals including American Journal of Political Science and World Politics, and in books with Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press and Routledge.