Archives and the History of Sociology: Theory, Methods and Research Practice.

Archives play a major role in the subfield of the history of sociology. Analyzing letters, diaries, personal notes, reports, and other documents preserved in both personal and institutional fonds is a standard research technique for scholars seeking to reconstruct the context of ideas and scientific practices. However, sociologists still lag behind historians and archivists in reflecting on the uses of personal and institutional archives. This session seeks to address this gap by promoting discussions on the theories and methods of archival research within the history of sociology.

We are especially interested in papers addressing the following topics: the formation and uses of personal archives of past sociologists; transnational histories of sociology and multi-sited archival research; digital humanities and archival research; the geopolitics of knowledge production and its effects on archives; archives in the Global South; and case studies of archival research in the history of sociology.