History of Sociology (2)

In the thirteenth century, Ma Tuan-Lin, a Chinese historian, first recognized social dynamics as an underlying component
of historical development in his seminal encyclopedia, General Study of Literary Remains. The next century saw the
emergence of the historian some consider to be the world’s first sociologist: Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406) of Tunisia. He
wrote about many topics of interest today, setting a foundation for both modern sociology and economics, including a
theory of social conflict, a comparison of nomadic and sedentary life, a description of political economy, and a study
connecting a tribe’s social cohesion to its capacity for power (Hannoum 2003).