“作为方法”的叙事主题与县域社会科学研究的兴起——兼论施坚雅的理论批判与局限

"As a Method"and the Rise of Social Science Research on Counties:A Discussion on G.William Skinner's Theoretical Critique and Limitations

“作为方法”是个案叙事或个案扩展的方法,同时也是研究者借助分析单位展示其质性研究理路的主体性表达方式。本文承接当前中国县域社会科学的研究热潮,将“县域”这一分析单位视作具有中国经验敏感性的分析单位,并认为其是中国自主知识体系构建的方法论探索。但是,目前“作为方法的县域”研究仍存在明显的县政中心主义倾向,相对忽视了县域社会的多维面向。施坚雅的市场区系论将“县域”作为一个多层次的分析单位,并对县政中心主义三个幻象进行了理论批判,这对当前的研究极具启发意义。但是,施坚雅的理论与中国当下的现实经验存在着巨大鸿沟,因此后续的研究者应当基于对此的反思来重新聚焦,激发“作为方法的县域”在方法论上的批判力与对经验现实的敏感力。

"As a method"refers to the approach of case narrative or case extension,serving as a way for researchers to express the rationale of their qualitative research through analytical units.This paper engages with the current wave of Chinese social science research on counties,viewing the"county"as a meso-analytical unit that is sensitive to Chinese experiential nuances.It explores the construction of an independent Chinese knowledge system from a methodological perspective.However,there is a noticeable tendency toward county government centralism in studies that employ"as a method".In G.William Skinner's market area theory,the county serves as a critical unit of analysis.It offers a theoretical critique of three misconceptions of county government centralism,which is highly relevant to contemporary research.However,there is a significant gap between Skinner's theory and the practical realities in China.Chinese researchers studying county-level societies must reexamine and refocus on the as a method"approach,highlighting its methodological criticality and sensitivity to empirical realities.