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Comparative Method

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Apeksha yadav
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13 views2 pages

Comparative Method

Uploaded by

Apeksha yadav
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© © All Rights Reserved
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NAME- AKANKSHA YADAV

ROLLNO.-2022/70
COURSE- B.A.(HONS.) SOCIOLOGY
SUBJECT-SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH METHOD
CRITICALLY EXAMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMPARATIVE
RESEARCH METHOD IN SOCIOLOGY.

The comparative method is a cornerstone of sociological research, offering a powerful tool


for understanding societal patterns and trends. By examining similarities and differences
across various societies, researchers can develop broader theories and identify causal
relationships. André Beteille in his inaugural speech, titled ‘Some observations on the
comparative method’ at Wertheim lecture in Amsterdam on 5July 1990, discussed the
nuances of the comparative method.
ADVANCING COMPARATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIOLOGY AND
ANTHROPOLOGY

The early use of the comparative method, particularly by social anthropologists, was in the
attention it devoted to the study of non-Western societies. These kinds of studies on family,
marriage, or economics, confined within the context of a single society or a single type of
society led to incomplete and misleading research. However, since the end of the 19th century,
scholars have begun to expand the range of societies they studied. But the scholars who
expanded this range, themselves were all members of the same society or a similar kind of
society. This led to biased perspectives and an incomplete understanding of these societies.

Since World War II this has changed as scholars from various diverse backgrounds have
started to infiltrate these studies on societies, challenging the traditional western-centric
perspective. This shift has significant implications for the comparative method, as it
necessitates a broader range of perspectives and potentially alters the research questions and
methodologies employed.

COMPARATIVE METHOD AND SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF SOCIETY

The comparative method was a significant development in 19 th century sociology and


anthropology. Comparisons were made not only at the level of entire societies but also at the
level of specific institutions and practices such as kinship systems, marriage customs,
religious beliefs, and economic practices. Scholars like Spencer, Taylor, Durkheim, and
Radcliff -brown were enthusiastic proponents of this approach. Durkheim called comparative
sociology not only a branch of sociology but sociology itself. The goal was to establish
scientific laws about human societies and cultures through systematic comparisons. Both
Spencer and Durkheim were greatly influenced by the organic analogy, and for Durkheim
particularly, he didn’t use this analogy only metaphorically but also methodologically. They
aimed to identify regularities and patterns in social life.

19th-century anthropologists often used the comparative method to reconstruct the


evolutionary stages of societies, starting from simple to complex forms. However, this tracing
of the origins of institutions and successive stages of evolution is fraught with many hazards.
Knowledge about the existing and past societies was often incomplete and fragmentary,
hindering accurate comparisons. They often assumed a linear progression from simple to
complex societies, neglecting the possibility of diverse and non-linear paths of development.
They used artifice of inversion, where they presumed that the Western societies were at the
pinnacle of stages of evolution, and then they reconstructed the starting point by simple
inversion of the features of these so-called advanced societies. Franz Boas criticized the
sweeping generalizations made through the comparative method and advocated for more
focused and detailed studies on a smaller scale. He emphasized the importance of historical
context and cultural particularism. He felt that comparisons must be made between
‘neighbouring cultures’. The work of Boas, Goldenweiser(1922), and Lowie(1960) did a lot
of damage to the scientific pretensions of scientific and

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