Ecological research of local communities

Abstract

Robert Park’s institutional and scientific works are part of the most suggestive periods of sociological research. He completed the empirical turn that the department of Sociology at University of Chicago started, especially in William Thomas’ perspective, and this contribution improved the scientific statute of sociology. His development of human (and urban) ecology proposes new theoretical and methodological frameworks of analysing social and territorial processes 174 emilio martínez gutiérrez la investigación ecológica… EMPIRIA. Revista de Metodología de Ciencias Sociales. N. o 25, enero-junio, 2013, pp. 173-194. ISSN: 1139-5737 in local communities. Moreover, his approach has improved different particular techniques and procedures (widespread at present) as, for instance, ecological cartography (morphological level) and qualitative techniques that study social interactions (cultural or moral level).