Methodological complementarity of sociology and history in the study of demographic processes

Properly and accurately interpreted historical data over time are the recognitionof a serious scientifi c research seeking their sociological explanation andinterpretation. Th e necessity of complementarity of sociology and history inscientifi c thought is recognized in diff erent time periods based on the scientifi ctrends and tendencies in these two disciplines. Th e subjects of the sociology andhistory are mostly identical, but the roads that they use to come to fi ndingsare diff erent. Th eir connection is evident in the unity of diff erent cognitivegoals. Historical studies are based on specifi c and individual and sociologicalon the identifi cation of the general patterns in historical events. One of thescientifi c phenomena that can be studied with a considerable degree of disciplinaryconsent of sociology and history is the problem of demographic shifts,or processes. Consideration of demographic trends of one or a diff erent socialperiod falls within the historical sociology, which is a scientifi c disciplineconstituted during the last decades of the twentieth century. Th e demographicdata presented in statistical or empirical materials are historical records, andtheir explanation is the subject of sociological theory. Demographic phenomenaand demographic trends have their historical duration and historicalfoundation. Th e sociological studies of demographic trends, and through thehistory, and in modern time contribute to defi ning and determining the demographicstructure as a substructure of society. For this reason, within thestudy of demographic trends is necessary the methodological complementarityof the sociology and history as well as to mutually complement each other