Historical Sociology and Native Americans
Methodological Problems
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4039503 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Thomas D Hall (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1989 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 223 |
| Publication date | 1989-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The American Indian Quarterly (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0095-182X • E-ISSN: 1534-1828 |
| Publisher | JSTOR (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2307/1184434 |
| OpenAlex | W2327286904 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 3 |
N THIS PAPER SOME METHODOLOGICAL problems in making historical comparisons among American groups are analyzed. It indicates that comparisons across wide gulfs of time must be made carefully, to contribute to understanding and theoretical development. Focusing on aboriginal social organization, the historical context and consequences of European contact, the changing nature of ethnic phenomena, and recent changes in the processes of incorporation, several criteria for comparisons are suggested: pre-contact social organization; degree of incorporation into a European system; subsequent social transformation; world-historical setting; theoretical agenda of the comparison; and intended generality of conclusions. Historical comparisons among and between American groups are fraught with conceptual and practical problems. This paper discusses some of the problems associated with comparative studies motivated by theoretical concerns in one or another of the social sciences. The theoretical goals of a comparative study shape both the cases chosen to compare and the strategy for comparison.' A discussion such as this one can not be definitive, but only suggestive, since changing theoretical interests and accumulating empirical evidence will alter the criteria and problems for comparative studies. Three issues need to be clarified before beginning the discussion. First is the problem of the implied homogeneity of the general term used for Americans: Indians. The terms Native Americans
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| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,18 |
| Citation span | 1993 - 2009 (17) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |