The revival of macrosociology: Methodological issues of discontinuity in comparative-historical theory

Three forms of discontinuity in social structure produce linked analogous problems about aggregates or wholes: discontinuity in units, discontinuity in time, and discontinuity in variables. Problems of macrotheory, of comparative-historical theory, and of levels of theory are analytically equivalent. Discontinuity in processes between different units produces macro-micro problems when processes involving individuals are different from processes involving larger aggregates. Discontinuity in time refers to the fact that in most dynamic processes, time does not appear homogeneous — if a process occurs in a century, that is not necessarily any reason to suppose that 1/100th of the process occurs in a year. Discontinuity in variables refers to the fact that all variables cannot operate coherently in the same explanatory system. These three discontinuities each produce problems of generalization and scope — problems getting from particular observed relationships to the underlying conditions and determinants of those relationships. For example, temporal discontinuity leads to problems of periodization and of stages. These problems are most visible in comparative-historical theory and they can only be resolved by comparative-historical data.