Page 29 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Unit 4: Approaches to the Study of Kinship: Historical and Evolutionary

Notes

Historical method became prominent in sociology and anthropology after pub-
lishing of Darin’s book ‘Origin of the Species’ in 1859, and this method came in
use for the study of family, marriage, kinship, religion, politics and economic
institution.

Comet, Spencer, Summoner, Durkheem, Waber, Sorokin, Ogburn, Mins, Raymans Arrow,
Valah, Narman Virbay, Toynbee, Thomas and Naniky, Kontan, Waster Mark, Radhakumud
Mukherji, Ghurieye, A.H. Desai, Kapadia, Karve, Dubey, etc., are few scholars who used histori-
cal method in sociology.
The English word ‘history’ is derived from ‘historia’ which means acquiring knowledge by
learning or discovering. Generally historical method means finding reasons of some incident or
problems in the past. The objective of historical method is to describe those factors and specific
conditions which are related to the origin, development or change of some incident.
In other words, understanding present with the help of past is the main motto of historical
method. Different definitions given by the scholors are as under—
According to P.V. Young “Historical method is to find those social forces which have formed
the present.” This statement explains that the theories are made by discovering past incidents–
that means comprehensive conclusions are made on the basis of specification.
According to Radcliff Brown, “Historical method is that in which the incidents of present are
studied as a series of continous and gradual development of past incidents.”
According to T.B. Bottmore, “It concentrates on social institutions, problems of development
and transformation of societies and civilisations. It is related to complete coverage of human
history and all main institutions of the society or it is related to the complete development of a
specific social institution.”
Four things are clear about historical method from Bottomre’s definition—(i) It is the study of
origination, development and transformation of social institution, societies and civilisation; (ii)
It studies the total development of human history; (iii) All the main institutions of society are
studied in it; (iv) It also studies the development of any specific social institution.
It is clear from the above definitions that historical method is not only the description of inci-
dents or events which a few intellectuals believe but it interprets historical incidents in scientific
manner. In this method, social and cultural events of present are interpreted and analysed on
the basis of gradual development, regularity and social impacts of past incidents and facts. In
short, it is a method to understand present with the help of past.

Sources of Historical Method
Historical facts are the base of historical method which are collected from different sources.
Intellectuals have expressed their views about the sources of historical facts. Lundberg has men-
tioned two main sources of historical facts—(i) Written material which is available in the form
of description given in the documents, scriptures, (ancient books), inscriptions, ancient coins
and buildings. (ii) Things found by geologists in excavation such as statues, utensils and other
remnants, etc., Vincent has mentioned three sources of historical facts—(i) Written material
like stories, descriptions, diaries, pedigrees, paintings-pictures, coins and artistic articles, etc.;
(ii) Memorials like human skelton, instruments, trade records, things of institutional nature and
handicraft. (iii) Different inscriptions which are related to ancient philosophy, events, and folk
literature.

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