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What is Analytical Sociology?
Analytical sociology is a research tradition that seeks to explain social phenomena by identifying the mechanisms through which individual actions and interactions generate collective outcomes. It combines theoretical clarity with rigorous empirical analysis, often using formal models, simulations, and network approaches.
Rather than offering broad generalizations, analytical sociology focuses on how and why social processes unfold — from the dynamics of segregation and inequality to the spread of behaviors, norms, and innovations.
One of the main pillars of the analytical approach of sociologic analysis is the practice of detailing the precise manners in which social facts are produced by mechanisms. Although the definition of what a mechanism is varies, the most satisfactory definition was published in a 2000 paper that defines it as "a constellation of entities and activities that are organized such that they regularly bring about a particular type of outcome, and we explain an observed outcome by referring to the mechanism by which such outcomes are regularly brought about".
A Short History
The roots of analytical sociology can be traced back to classical thinkers like Alexis de Tocqueville and Robert K. Merton, who emphasized mechanisms in social explanation. The modern field emerged in the 1990s and early 2000s, with key contributions consolidating around the idea of mechanism-based explanation.
The publication of Dissecting the Social (2005) and The Oxford Handbook of Analytical Sociology (2009) marked milestones in establishing analytical sociology as a recognized research tradition. Today, the field is closely connected with computational social science, network analysis, and agent-based modeling.
Recommendations
For those new to analytical sociology, several books provide accessible entry points into the field. Dissecting the Social: On the Principles of Analytical Sociology (Cambridge University Press, 2005) offers a clear introduction to mechanism-based explanations in sociology. The Oxford Handbook of Analytical Sociology (Oxford University Press, 2009, co-edited with Peter Bearman) provides a broad overview of key themes and methods, written by leading scholars. More recently, Segregation (Makadam Förlag, 2020) presents a focused example of how analytical approaches can illuminate pressing social issues.
Gianluca Manzo (ed.)
A good introductory work that is easy to understand.
Gianluca Manzo (ed.)
A good introductory work that is easy to understand.
Gianluca Manzo (ed.)
A good introductory work that is easy to understand.
Organizations & Conferences
Analytical sociologists regularly meet at conferences, workshops, and summer schools. Analytical sociology is a truly international endeavor, with active research groups, centers and conferences around the world. Notable hubs include:
The Institute for Analytical Sociology
The researchers at the Institute for Analytical Sociology (IAS) conduct cutting-edge research on important social, political, and cultural matters. The research at IAS is sociological – in its original and broadly conceived meaning. The researchers at the IAS come from several academic disciplines.
International Network of Analytical Sociologists
A growing number of scholars in recent years have identified themselves with the Analytical Sociology approach to social explanation, motivated by a common interest in the study of the social mechanisms and micro-dynamics that bring about macro-outcomes of sociological relevance.
International Conference for Computational Social Science
IC2S2 has emerged as the dominant conference at the intersection of social and computational science, bringing together researchers from around the world committed to understanding the social world through large-scale data and computation.
Contact Information:
peter.hedstrom@liu.se
Linköping University
Institute for Analytical Sociology
601 74 Norrköping
SWEDEN
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