Analytical sociology and empirical research: How can we bridge the gap between the theoretical concerns and the empirical research of the discipline?

Empirical research in the analytical-sociology tradition seeks to explain collective outcomes by reference to the actions and interactions of the individuals who brought them about. Many outcomes of sociological interest—such as school segregation, economic inequality, and the emergence of social and cultural norms—are the result of large numbers of individuals acting and interacting over extended periods of time.

Much empirical sociological research, however, has had a very different focus. It has either examined small groups of individuals in great detail or, when studying large populations, relied on survey data which typically does not include any information on how individuals interact and influence one another. As a consequence, an unfortunate gap has existed between the concerns of sociological theory and the practice of empirical research, which has severely limited the extent to which empirical research has been able inform the development and refinement of sociological theory.

Using the case of ethnic school segregation in the larger Stockholm area as an example, this lecture illustrates how the type of register data available in countries such as Denmark and Sweden can help bridging the gap between theory and research and bring new insights into our understanding of complex social processes.