Toward a Historical Sociology of COVID‐19: Path Dependence Method and Temporal Connections
Journal of Historical Sociology
Published online on June 09, 2022
Abstract
["Journal of Historical Sociology, Volume 35, Issue 2, Page 283-297, June 2022. ", "\nAbstract\nEncountering the unprecedented social crisis of COVID‐19, an increasing number of sociologists are calling for historical sociology to engage empirically with the dynamics of the COVID‐19 crisis. I present the “path dependence method” and the “temporal connections” to interpret social life during the COVID‐19 pandemic. By using the path dependence method, I show how the personal, social, and national problems created by the COVID‐19 crisis initiate a new path and furthermore how this newly created path is justified in a society. Through the temporal connections, I will show how non‐Western countries responded more reasonably and quickly than most Western countries to the COVID‐19 crisis. The overall aim of this research is to disclose effectiveness of historical sociology, to encourage researchers to think time variable, and to argue that linking historical‐sociological knowledge to the COVID‐19 crisis would be a positive step for an in‐depth COVID‐19 sociology.\n"]