Problems of linking theory and data in historical sociology and longitudinal research

'Theory and data are closely linked in empirical research: Data are the main source for building and testing theories, and without theoretical focus, it is impossible to select and interpret data. Still, the relationship between theory and data is only rarely discussed and, if so, only on a general level. Focussing on process-oriented and longitudinal research questions, the authors of this special issue contribute to this discussion by elaborating some data types that can be used for analyzing long-term social processes. For each specific data type, it is important to ask about their specific characteristics and how this effects interpretation. The authors address these questions from a broad range of theories and by either re-analyzing research-elicited data or by using process-generated data.' (author's abstract