Methodology and Methods of Social and Political Research II

2024/2025

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

3

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Course type:

Elective course

When:

2 year, 1, 2 module

Instructor

Arkatov, Dmitry

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The main goal of this course is to reinforce the skill of model thinking. Students will work through the theory – research design – analysis – interpretation of results nexus. They will learn how to formulate the right research questions and build appropriate conceptual models for different types and purposes of research, from academic to applied.The course will also discuss how much trust can be placed in different kinds of data, what role they play in the production of scientific knowledge and in data-driven decision-making.

Learning Objectives

• This course aims at developing students' skills of model thinking. They will learn more advanced approaches to modeling of social/ political processes, and know how to develop their own empirically testable models
• The aim of the course is to introduce the students into modern approaches to social research, their advantages and disadvantages and how to implement them

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Able to assess, model and predict socio-political processes at the global, international, national, regional and local levels based on the methodology of theoretical and empirical research
• Able to organize and conduct political analysis of socially significant projects
• Able to develop the design of scientific and applied research, including that carried out by a team, based on modern methodologies of political science and general scientific approaches
• Able to independently master new research methods, change the scientific and production profile of their activities
• Able to reflect (evaluate and process) mastered scientific methods and methods of activity
• Understands the difference between qualitative and quantitative approaches to social research
• Understands how to perform basic qualitative research
• Understands the difference between causal mechanisms and causal effects
• Understands what potential outcome is
• Is able to draw DAGs
• Understands how to design a basic experiment in social sciences
• Is able to critically evaluate ethical concerns of the research
• Is able to understand how to involve stakeholders in engaged research

Course Contents

• Different Research Approaches in Social Sciences: Case Studies vs Quantitative Research
• Case Studies in Qualitative Research: Case Selection, Data Analysis and Conclusions
• Causality in Qualitative Research: Main Tenets and Methodological Approaches
• Causal Inference in Statistics: Potential Outcomes Framework and Directed Acyclic Graphs
• Experiments in Social Science: Laboratory, Field and Survey Experiements
• Ethical Concerns and Stakeholder Engagement in Experiements

Assessment Elements

• In-Class Participation
  Every seminar students are expected to actively engage in conversation with the course instructor, answering questions based on home readings and providing meaningful answers. The presence in class is evaluated with the lowest acceptable grade.
• Presentation
  In the last class the students must present how the gained knowledge may be applied to their respective research.
• Research Project
  The students must submit a prospect of their research enriched with the approaches and methodologies. This may involve properly justifying research approach, case selection or sampling, drawing graphs or using POF, proposing an experiment or/discussing ethical concerns or how they intend to involve stakeholder/policymakers in their research.

Interim Assessment

• 2024/2025 учебный год 2 модуль
  0.3 * In-Class Participation + 0.2 * Presentation + 0.5 * Research Project

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Maruyama, G., & Ryan, C. S. (2014). Research Methods in Social Relations (Vol. 8th ed). Malden, Mass: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=798826

Authors

• ARKATOV DMITRIY ALEKSANDROVICH