Sociological Methods

This study tests the feasibility, effectiveness, and efficiency of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) as a Web-based sampling method. Web-based RDS (WebRDS) is found to be highly efficient and effective. The online nature of WebRDS allows referral chains to progress very quickly, such that studies with large samples can be expected to proceed up to 20 times faster than with traditional sampling methods. Additionally, the unhidden nature of the study population allows comparison of RDS estimators to institutional data. Results indicate that RDS estimates are reasonable but not precise. This is likely due to bias associated with the random recruitment assumption and small sample size of the study. Finally, this article presents methods for testing the validity of assumptions required by RDS estimation.

Солдатова В. Ю. Візуальні дослідження в соціології – методологічні засади та методичні засоби. – На правах рукопису.
Дисертація на здобуття наукового ступеня кандидата соціологічних наук за спеціальністю 22.00.02 – методологія та методи соціологічних досліджень. – Інститут соціології Національної академії наук України, Київ, 2016.
У дисертації сконструйована дисциплінарна модель візуальної соціології. На основі аналізу простору візуальних досліджень запропонована модель структурації цього простору, систематизовані наявні методичні засоби візуальних досліджень, в результаті чого розроблена система показників для порівняльного співставлення методів візуальної соціології, що полегшує вибір емпіричного методу для конкретного дослідження. Простежені особливості становлення та розвитку методів збору та аналізу візуальної інформації. Проаналізовані методологічні витоки та методологічна основа візуальної соціології.
Ключові слова: візуальні дослідження, візуальна соціологія, соціологія візуального, візуальні методи, дослідницький простір, методологічні засади візуальної соціології.


Солдатова В. Ю. Визуальные исследования в социологии – методологические основы и методические возможности. – На правах рукописи.
Диссертация на соискание ученой степени кандидата социологических наук по специальности 22.00.02 – методология и методы социологических исследований. – Институт социологии Национальной академии наук Украины, Киев, 2016.
В диссертации сконструирована дисциплинарная модель визуальной социологии: проанализированы функции визуальных данных в социологических исследованиях, уточнен дисциплинарный словарь, структурировано исследовательское поле визуальной социологии и систематизированы методы визуальных исследований.
На основе анализа пространства визуальных исследований предложена модель его структурации. Определено, что целесообразно выделить 2 типа визуальных исследований в социологии: 1) те, в которых визуальность появляется на этапе выбора объекта исследования: и 2) те, в которых объект не привязан к визуальным социальным феноменам, а визуальное появляется в процессе поиска адекватного методического инструмента для исследования общесоциологических проблем. Исследования первого типа предложено определить как отдельное направление визуальной социологии – «социология визуального».
Прослежены особенности становления и развития методов сбора и анализа визуальной информации. Можно утверждать, что логика их развития связана, с одной стороны, с адаптацией вербальных методов к особенностям визуальных данных, а с другой – с развитием специфических визуальных методов.
Также систематизированы имеющиеся методические средства визуальных исследований, в результате чего разработана система показателей для сравнительного сопоставления методов визуальной социологии, что облегчает обоснование выбора эмпирического метода для конкретного исследования. К таким показателям относятся: этап исследования, где метод используется; доминирующая функция визуальных данных в данном методе; автор визуальных данных; преимущества и ограничения метода; место в предложенной модели структурации исследовательского пространства визуальной социологии и методическая природа возникновения.
Проанализированы методологические истоки и методологическая основа визуальной социологи, к которой отнесены теоретические концепции, которые в своем видении социальной реальности делают акцент на социальных практиках. Показано, что в разных ракурсах концептуальное обращение к социальным практикам присутствует в интерпретативных теориях (феноменологии, этнометодологии), структуралистской теории, семиотическом анализе, социологическом постмодернизме, социологии Бурдье – именно эти теории составляют методологические основы визуальных методов в социологии.
Ключевые слова: визуальные исследования, визуальная социология, социология визуального, визуальные методы, исследовательское пространство, методологические основы визуальной социологии.


Soldatova V. Visual studies in sociology – methodological foundations and methodical facilities. – Manuscript.
Thesis for a scientific degree of Candidate of Sociological Science in Methodology and Methods of Sociological Research, speciality 22.00.02 – Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, 2016.
This dissertation presents the disciplinary model of visual sociology. Based on the analysis of the visual studies’ field, the author proposed a structure model of visual studies’ field and systematized available methodical tools of visual studies; as a result the system of indicators for comparative matching of sociological visual methods was constructed in order to facilitate the choice of empirical method for a particular study. The author determined peculiarities of formation and development of methods to collect and analyze visual information. Also in this thesis methodological sources and basis of visual sociology were analyzed.
Key words: visual studies, visual sociology, sociology of visuality, visual methods, methodological foundations of visual sociology.

Abstract: Shaffir (1998:63) writes, “We must learn to reclaim the virtue of patience. When we enhance the pace of doing research, it is often at the expense of acquiring a deep appreciation of the research problem.” This paper engages Shaffir’s claim by examining the importance of undertaking a patient sociology. What is the virtue to be found in prolonged and sustained work? How does this speak to the relationships found in field research and in the identities that inform our work as
researchers and theorists? In contrast to recent trends towards various versions of instant or shortterm ethnography (e.g., Pink and Morgan 2013) this paper argues for the merits of “slow” ethnography by examining the advantages of relational patience, perspectival patience, and the patience required to fully appreciate omissions, rarities, and secrets of the group.

Klasik-Skolastik felsefenin tek sorunsalı olan "...nedir?" [qu'est-ce que...?] ile soru sorma formülasyonu, modern dönemde Fransız entelijansı tarafından sahiplenilmiştir. Fransız akademik alanı bu soruya verilen yanıtlardan müretteptir. Başka bir deyişle, Fransız entelektüelinin araştırma/inceleme pratiği, bir şeyin mahiyetini soruşturan "... nedir?" [qu'est-ce que...?] sorusunda açığa vurulur. Öyle ki, kanonik diyebileceğimiz kitapların isimlerinin taranması ile dahi bu pratiğin kısa bir takibi yapılabilir. Yolu Fransız akademyasına düşenlerin başvurduğu bu sorunun handikapı, bize göre, soruşturduğu şeyi sabit, dışarıda, orada bir yerde varolan ve araştırmacı tarafından keşfedilmeyi bekleyen bir töz olarak görmesidir. Bu durumda olan şey şudur: Dış dünyada, halihazırda bekleyen bir töz vardır; adına delilik, göç, kadın, sefalet, zenginlik, eğitim veya liderlik, kezâ eşitsizlik veya zorluk diyebiliriz; ve araştırmacı elindeki check-list ile yahut çizilmiş bir eşkale baka baka gidip onları aramaktadır; ve bulmaktadır da. Gerçekte olan biten şeyi gerçekte olduğu haliyle değil de elindeki listenin kriterlerine en çok uyanı aramaktadır. Bu, felsefî yöntemin arayışıdır. Oysa, sosyal bilim araştırmacısı nesnesini keşfetmek yerine nesnesini kurar, inşa eder. Sosyolojik nesne sosyoloji biliminin bilgi üretme prosedürleri ve teknikleri tarafından oluşturulur. Şeyleri sabit ve tanımlanmış halleriyle değil bir ilişki biçimi olarak kavrar sosyolog. Zira şeyler bir dinamizm içinde, bir ilişki biçimi olarak kendilerini gösterirler.
Bu çalışma, elde hazır delilik tanımları ile yola çıkmanın açığa çıkardığı problemler üzerine bir değerlendirme niteliği taşıyor olup deliliğin bir ilişki biçimi olarak analiz edilmesi gerektiğini önermektedir. Deliliğin (ve aslında her şeyin) tanımını baştan koymak yerine,  kendi ilişkiselliği içinde, yatay ve dikey uzanımları ile birlikte, burada ve şimdiki haliyle kavranması gerektiğine yöneliktir. Bu değerlendirme ile "...nedir?" sorusunun karşısına sosyolojik soru sorma formülasyonu olan "...nasıl?" sorusu yerleştirilmektedir. Böylesi bir yaklaşım ve kavrayış sayesinde şeyler, bir sonuç olarak ele alınmış olmaktadır; doğal başlangıç noktası olarak değil. Bu çalışmanın önemi bu tür bir yaklaşımın sağladığı şu avantajla ilgilidir: İnceleme nesnemizin, esasında, birçok operasyon ve koşullandırma ile üzerinin örtülmüş olduğunu fark ederiz. Şu anda ve burada olan şey (bizim araştırmamızda "delilik") nasıl bir süreç içerisinde şimdiki haline geldi, hangi ilişki ağlarından geçerek mevcut zarflara mazruf oldu ve cari durumdaki yapısına nasıl kavuştu gibi soruları sorarak, şeylerin niçin başka türlü değil de "bu" türlü var olduğunu analiz edebiliriz ancak. Dolayısıyla bu çalışmanın önemi, deliliğe yönelik yaklaşımları analiz etmeden, evvela deliliğin gerçekliğini tahlil edecek  yönteme karar verilmesi gerektiğine yönelik olan teklifinde gizlidir.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Delilik, Sosyolojik Yöntem, Deliliği Tanım Problemi, Deliliğin İlişkisel Analizi

Methods of analysis of social networks are necessary to identify and understand the structural relationships between different actors (individuals, organizations, countries, etc.) in contemporary society. These methods are of particular importance along with development of Internet communications and the global spread of social networks. The course aims to introduce research potential, theoretical and methodological foundations of social network analysis methods and develop basic skills to design and conduct network analysis in practice using programing environments Pajek, Gephi, R or UCINET.
Course Learning Objectives:
• Knowledge of essential SNA concepts &  terminology
• Knowledge of Random network models
• Knowledge of SNA methods
• Ability to collect and process data for SNA
• Ability to choose and apply SNA methods
• Ability to conduct SNA using specific software (Pajek, Gephi, R or UCINET )
• Experience in preparing a research project with SNA application
• Practice in academic writing and presentation skills

This article outlines a comparative research strategy, "negative case methodology," to analyze cases in which an outcome that had been predicted by theory did not occur. My central argument is that negative case methodology leads to the development of the content of sociological theory under two conditions: first, the negation, the gap between the expected outcome and the theoretical explanation, must be large, and second, a detailed examination of the empirical evidence must lead to an expansion of the theory's range of explanation. Although variants of negative case methodology are commonly used in social research (for example, Weber's ideal type), it has not been identified as a research strategy. This article identifies and conceptualizes the logic of this method and illustrates some of its advantages, to facilitate its use and sharpen its application. To conceptualize this methodology, I extract and recombine elements from other comparative methodologies. In particular, I combine the emphasis on differece, found in a wide variety of philosophical writings, from John Stuart Mill to Michel Foucault, with classic "deviant-case" analysis. Then, I embed negative case methodology in the philosophical framework of Lakatos's research programs. This philosophy of science is congenial for negative case methodology because, in Lakatos's framework, it is precisely the integration of anomalous cases - the negative ones - that provides the most persuasive evidence of scientific growth.

Returning to two interviews with jazz lovers, the article looks at the effects of the questions asked by the survey-taker concerning the production of data, specifically about a particularly sensitive object from this point of view: taste. Looking at the relationship between the interview format and the respondent’s experience implies examining the combined effects of the parameters of the situation while staying as close as possible to the interlocution. Ultimately, the analysis allows us to reconsider the issue of imposing a conceptual framework in a research interview.

Revenant sur deux entretiens menés auprès d’amateurs de jazz, l’article s’intéresse aux effets des questions posées par l’enquêteur sur la production des données, à propos d’un objet particulièrement sensible sous ce rapport : le goût. L’intérêt pour la relation entre le format de l’entretien et l’expérience de l’enquêté implique d’examiner les effets conjugués des paramètres de la situation en restant au plus près de l’interlocution. In fine, l’analyse permet de reconsidérer la question de l’imposition de problématique dans l’entretien de recherche.

В статье актуализированы познавательные возможности онлайн наблюдения, предпринята попытка обозначить его особенности: сбор и анализ данных, позиция исследователя, этические моменты. Работа выполнена на основе обзора теоретических источников. Выделено (в зависимости от степени присутствия в онлайн/оффлайн пространствах) четыре типа сообществ: сообщества «цифрового воплощения», «онлайн-контактов», «мультимодальных социальных миров» и «вне сети». Обозначены методические возможности для изучения сообществ выделенных типов.

According to the dominant view, analytical sociology is largely incompatible with the deductive-nomological (D-N) model because the latter allows neither for accurate and precise explanations, nor for explanations that give individuals and their actions a privileged role. This view neglects two relevant facts about the D-N model as understood by Hempel and Popper and some of their precursors such as J. S. Mill and Weber. The first is the relationship between this model, situational analysis and the use of probabilistic laws in explanation. The second is that, from the standpoint of the D-N theory, it is possible to make sense of social mechanisms in terms of Weber’s ideal-typical models. Like these models, mechanisms are functional for the development of concrete empirical sociological hypotheses that, without covering generalizations, lack explanatory power.

The research topic of this thesis is the management of subcultural identity of individuals who are students in university or employed full-time. Previous research on subcultures has shown that membership in subcultural groups has reduced or ended with the end of the school years of an individual. Many heavy metal fans seem to be an exception as they take their subcultural identity through university or early employment and seem to not disconnect from it during adulthood. The aim of this research is to scrutinize how a heavy metal subcultural identity is preserved within a framework of binary norms created by the social reality external to the subculture. Therefore, conclusions are made in relation to the nature of the subculture and adherence to its norms and values alongside the norms of a university or professional environment. The observations are focused on students and employees in their twenties, an age interval of transition locked between teenage dreams and adult realities. To do so, this paper engages with literature revolving around subcultural theory, class theory, identity work and structural influence. It starts with fundamental subcultural theories to introduce the framework of subcultural research to the reader. Then it gives a brief description of the heavy metal subculture and its perception by theorists throughout the years. This perceptions show both old views on the subculture, as well as more recent ones functioning as an update or critique of the fundamental literature. Traditional sociological elements of Marxism, cultural capital, class, and conformity are introduced within the text along with recent theories concerning subcultural capital, “social” and “personal” identity, and the significant contemporary conception of “class” as a fluid concept. The goal of the research is to demonstrate the maintenance or transformation of subcultural identities when introduced to new social environments with stronger and, possibly opposing, norms. This is done through the analysis of heavy metal fans’ perceived subcultural identity, levels of activity within the metal community, and elements or factors external to that subcultural identity. Research itself is from an insider standpoint and has been conducted in the Scottish city of Aberdeen with a small sample of 10 participants. The results are complimented by a questionnaire sample of 76 participants wherever it is relevant or needed. The discussion of results combines data from the literature and from the results in order to manage conclusions properly. Any re-occurring themes or peculiarities are analysed and discussed in a narrow relation to the subculture-dominant culture relationship. Any deficiencies of the research are taken into account. Moreover, suggestions for and consideration of further sociological research in the field are noted.

В статье рассматривается феномен сообществ онлайн-дарообмена — интернет-ресурсов, где участники обмениваются или делятся на безвозмездной основе предметами повседневного спроса (кни-гами, детскими товарами, одеждой, украшениями, посудой) и другими вещами. Авторы статьи прово-дят дескриптивный анализ онлайн-дарообмена, исследуют причины, структуру и последствия этого прогрессирующего явления.

Group-based trajectory models are used to investigate population differences in the developmental courses of behaviors or outcomes. This note introduces a new Stata command, traj, for fitting to longitudinal data finite (discrete) mixture models designed to identify clusters of individuals following similar progressions of some behavior or outcome over age or time. Normal, Censored normal, Poisson, Zero-inflated Poisson, and Logistic distributions are supported.

Researchers are combining self-reports from mobile surveys with passive data collection using sensors and apps on smartphones increasingly more often. While smartphones are commonly used in some groups of individuals, smartphone penetration is significantly lower in other groups. In addition, different operating systems (OSs) limit how mobile data can be collected passively. These limitations cause concern about coverage error in studies targeting the general population. Based on data from the Panel Study Labour Market and Social Security (PASS), an annual probability-based mixed-mode survey on the labor market and poverty in Germany, we find that smartphone ownership and ownership of smartphones with specific OSs are correlated with a number of sociodemographic and substantive variables. The use of weighting techniques based on sociodemographic information available for both owners and nonowners reduces these differences but does not eliminate them.

Researchers attempting to survey refugees over time face methodological issues because of the transient nature of the target population. In this article, we examine whether applying smartphone technology could alleviate these issues. We interviewed 529 refugees and afterward invited them to four follow-up mobile web surveys and to install a research app for passive mobile data collection. Our main findings are as follows: First, participation in mobile web surveys declines rapidly and is rather selective with significant coverage and nonresponse biases. Second, we do not find any factor predicting types of smartphone ownership, and only low reading proficiency is significantly correlated with app nonparticipation. However, obtaining sufficiently large samples is challenging—only 5 percent of the eligible refugees installed our app. Third, offering a 30 Euro incentive leads to a statistically insignificant increase in participation in passive mobile data collection.

This course and the courses Sociological Theories (SOCI 495), Social Research Methods (496), Tools for Quantitative Analysis (498), and Senior Project (499) comprise a five-course core sequence required of sociology majors.  SOCI 497 is intended to culminate in a senior thesis research proposal.  There will be no quizzes, tests or exams in this course.  Instead, this is a writing intensive course.  The vast majority of the course will be devoted to helping you step-by-step to write your thesis proposal.

In April, 2020, Dr. Geoff Cole published, “Why the ‘Hoax’ Paper of Baldwin (2018) Should Be Reinstated.” We are the authors of the “Baldwin” paper published in Fat Studies. The paper satirized theoretical ideas within Fat Studies as part of a larger project to demonstrate the lack of rigor in certain theoretical approaches to cultural studies. In this response, we agree with Cole that our project should not be understood as hoaxes and that the retracted article should be reinstated, but defend our methods.

The robustness of outcomes to the parameterization of behavioral rules is a crucial property of any model aimed at simulating complex human systems. Schelling model of residential segregation satisfies this criterion. Based on the recently available high-resolution census GIS, we apply Schelling model for investigating urban population patterns at the resolution of individual buildings and families. First, we simulate ethnic residential dynamics in Yaffo (an area of Tel Aviv), and demonstrate good quantitative correspondence for a 40-year ...

Recent debates about qualitative methods have discussed the relative limitations and contributions of interviews in comparison to surveys and participant observation. These discussions have rarely considered how ethnographers themselves use interviews as part of their work. We suggest that Lizardo’s (2017) discussion of three modes of culture (declarative, nondeclarative, and public) help us to understand the separate contributions of observation and interviews, with ethnographic interviews an especially helpful means of accessing different cultural modes. e also argue that Lizardo’s conception of public culture should be divided into meso and macro levels, and that this division helps to show the differing contributions of interviews within and without an ethnographic context. Developing our argument with data from the second author’s ethnographic research and analysis of other scholars’ ethnographies, we show how research that uses ethnographic interviews can help sociologists bet...

Данная статья предлагает краткий анализ истоков применения социологического метода к изучению естественного языка. Теоретической основой исследования выступает учение М.М. Бахтина о социальной обусловленности высказывания. Постулируется, что дихотомия «социальная обстановка» – «социальная установка» определяют лексико-семантический состав, стилистическую форму и грамматическую структуру высказывания. Сделан вывод о ключевой роли диалогических средств языка в актуализации интенции достижения эффективности и экологичности коммуникации.

The article presents an analysis of the origins of applying a sociological method to linguistic studies. The research is based on the theory of socially determined communication by Mikhail Bakhtin. It is stated that the dichotomy of “social situation” and “social address” define lexics, semantics, stylistics, and grammar structure of an utterance. The conclusion is made that the intention of building effective and ecological communication can be realized through the proficient use of dialogicity means.

This paper provides an introduction to ensemble statistical proce- dures as a special case of algorithmic methods. The discussion beings with classification and regression trees (CART) as a didactic device to introduce many of the key issues. Following the material on CART is a consideration of cross-validation, bagging, random forests and boosting. Major points are illustrated with analyses of real

As originally developed by Charles Ragin in The Comparative Method (1987), qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) has been used extensively by comparative and historical sociologists as an effective tool for analyzing data sets of medium-N popula- tions. Like many other methods, however, QCA is atemporal and obscures the sequen- tial nature of paths of causation. QCA ignores the order of events