Reflections on an anniversary
| Published date | 01 November 2024 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/02633957241245898 |
| Author | Theda Skocpol |
| Date | 01 November 2024 |
| Subject Matter | Special Issue Article - States and Social Revolutions at 40: A Symposium |
https://doi.org/10.1177/02633957241245898
Politics
2024, Vol. 44(4) 563 –566
© The Author(s) 2024
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DOI: 10.1177/02633957241245898
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Reflections on an anniversary
Theda Skocpol
Harvard University, USA
Abstract
My first book, in many ways a lonely project at the time, is now part of a steadily growing body
of comparative-historical scholarship in the social sciences. Studying socio-political changes
of all kinds – including today’s democratic backsliding in the United States and beyond – is
best done, as States and Social Revolutions helped to demonstrate, by probing and juxtaposing
fully contextualised cases. It still makes sense for scholars to (directly or implicitly) compare
historical trajectories, tease out the intersections of social inequalities and struggles over state
power, and address the evolving global contexts as in local, regional, or national episodes play
out. This way of studying political conflict and change is what I believe endures from States and
Social Revolutions, as new generations of scholars go far beyond the arguments of that book
born decades ago.
Keywords
revolutions, Skocpol, states, historical institutionalism
Received: 28th February 2024; Accepted: 13th March 2024
Over long research careers, some scholars identify one big question and come at it again
and again, hoping to reach comprehensive answers, while others move from one question
to the next, ever looking for new puzzles to resolve. I am decidedly in the latter camp,
having pursued a career of disentangling causes of socio-political change by examining a
succession of different subjects important beyond as well as within academia. Why?
Curiosity about new topics has kept me motivated, interested, and passionate about
research and writing. What is more, I long ago realised it is wise to move on to new ques-
tions before other scholars, especially rising youngsters, figure out the shortfalls of my
previous answers! As the author of a bold first book that sparked a lot of debate and
inspired many rounds of new research and theorising, I could have spent an entire career
responding to my critics. Imagine how dreary and unproductive that would have been.
Accordingly, after publishing a collection of articles related to my first book, I stopped
working on revolutions, happy to leave the field to many others like the contributors to
Corresponding author:
Theda Skocpol, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology, Harvard University, CGIS Knafel,
K416, 1737 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Email: skocpol@fas.harvard.edu
1245898POL0010.1177/02633957241245898PoliticsSkocpol
research-article2024
Special Issue Article - States and Social
Revolutions at 40: A Symposium
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