Applying Theories of the Middle Range to Chinese Historical Studies

自社会学家默顿提出“中层理论”以来,“中层理论”不仅在社会学界越来越得到广泛应用,在跨学科的意义上也受到其他学科特别是历史学者的重视。本文从三个方面对“中层理论”在跨学科方面的应用前景发表了看法。首先,本文讨论了“中层理论”的基本原则对史学研究的启示及其运用限度；其次重点考察了西方中国学研究中应用“中层理论”的成败得失；再次则较为深入地探讨了如何从中国自身传统资源中发掘“中层理论”的若干要素以避免盲目移植西方理论的问题。

Theories of the middle range，put forward by American sociologist Robert K. Merton，have been applied not only in sociological studies，but also in other fields，especially in historical studies in recent years due to the progress of interdisciplinary research． This paper firstly discusses the value of middle range fundamentals and its limitations to historians. Then the author points out that there are plenty cases of American sinologists putting middle range theories in their researches of Chinese history and culture，and both the advantages and disadvantages of this tendency should be respected．The author finally explores how to use the important elements of middle range theories from China’s traditional conception of humanities and integrate them into historical researches in the age of interdisciplinary study

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