The grammar of science : Pearson, Karl, 1857-1936. Charles Tilly. Much of my daily work involves helping young people learn practical procedures of historical analysis. I have no intention here of cataloging all the tools, techniques, and tours de main we use at one time or another. I remember vividly how historical sociologist George Homans used to bellow "People do social science in the damnedest ways! " (George enjoyed bellowing because it jarred people into arguing with him, a sport in which he delighted and excelled. In this case, however, his exhortation, guidance, and practice coincided.) So long as it expands our range of viable explanations at reasonable cost, I will endorse any morally defensible sociological method.
Nor do I plan here to make the case for a particular combination of genre, ontology, explanatory logic, and mechanisms. Instead of attempting to fine-tune other people's historical investigations, let me offer some general tips on undertaking historical analysis from a social scientific perspective. Charles Tilly Weblog. Home : Sage Research Methods Online.