Master
2021/2022
Methodology of Contemporary Asian Studies
Type:
Compulsory course (Business and Politics in Modern Asia)
Area of studies:
Asian and African Studies
Delivered by:
School of Asian Studies
When:
1 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Master’s programme:
Business and Politics in Modern Asia
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
68
Course Syllabus
Abstract
As HSE University is a globally renowned centre of teaching and academic excellence, it attaches special attention to superior quality of student research papers. The Master’s Programme “Socioeconomic and Political Development of Modern Asia”, as its name suggests, trains highly-qualified specialists in Asian studies with an emphasis on politics, economics, international marketing, international relations, sociology and cultural specificity as academic and practical tracks. The course includes theoretical foundations of in-depth academic research, criteria for scientific knowledge, and main components of scientific approach to issues under consideration. According to the profile of the Master’s Programme, the specificity of scientific methods related to the following academic disciplines and applied educational fields – history, sociology, international relations, economics, international marketing and cultural studies – are carefully explored. An extensive and interactive training that includes mini-projects, brainstorming sessions and immersive knowledge reinforcement exercises makes the learning process comprehensive, exciting and rewarding.
Learning Objectives
- • To outline the specificity of scientific research in comparison with other forms of cognitive activity, to make an assessment of main criteria of scientific knowledge; • To discuss the criteria of scientific methods, to present their hierarchy; • To distinguish the difference between multi-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research methods; • To comprehensively explore the specificity of historical, political, sociological, economic, marketing and methods with relevance to the Master Program profile; • To hold interactive training discussions aimed at revising the subject material.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Be aware of the way scientific methods function in carrying out research
- Hard Skills: accomplish time-pressing and intellectually-demanding tasks relevant to the course profile;
- Critically reflect on application, as well as on applicability, of different scientific methods in resolving research tasks; Be able to adapt the subject material to their practical needs, from research articles to course papers and Master theses.
- To understand the specificity of scientific knowledge vs other forms of cognitive activity; Ti distinguish between different research methods in their hierarchy, assess multi-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary and interdisciplinary ones;
Course Contents
- Contemporary Research in Social Science and Humanities: Objectives, Concepts and Principles
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Assessment Elements
- Class attendance
- Class participation
- Written examA written answer (Module 1) - 30% of the examination grade, a critical review (Module 1) - 20% of the examination grade, an essay (Module 2) - 50% of the examination grade.
Interim Assessment
- 2021/2022 2nd module0.2 * Class attendance + 0.6 * Written exam + 0.2 * Class participation
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Mike Lambert. (2019). Practical Research Methods in Education : An Early Researcher’s Critical Guide. Routledge.
- Research methodology : a step-by-step guide for beginners, Kumar, R., 2014
- Social research methods, Bryman, A., 2012
- Writing your master's thesis : from A to Zen, Nygaard, L. P., 2017
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Advances in political methodology, , 2017
- How to write a lot : a practical guide to productive academic writing, Silvia, P. J., 2019
- Introduction to international relations : theories and approaches, Jackson, R., 2013
- Methodological thinking : basic principles of social research design, Loseke, D. R., 2017