Methodology and Research Methods of Political Science and Economics

2024/2025

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

6

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

School of Politics and Governance

Course type:

Elective course

When:

1 year, 2, 3 module

Instructors

Zhigadlo, Konstantin

Inshakov, Ilia

Pashkov, Stanislav

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course is designed to introduce students to the philosophy and methodology of research in social sciences and show them how specialization and integration of different methodologies work across social sciences and beyond. Besides, the students get familiarized with main methods of qualitative, quantitative, and ‘mixed’ research and learn about challenges associated with their application. The course outlines key approaches to (neo)institutionalism(s) and discourse analysis and main challenges connected to them.

Learning Objectives

• shaping students’ critical thinking in the face of multiple epistemological strategies, working methodologies and theoretical approaches practiced in contemporary social sciences
• making students understand their limitations and capabilities
• helping students to develop skills necessary for choosing analytical tools adequate to specific research areas and tasks, for designing research programs
• helping students to develop skills necessary for choosing analytical tools adequate to specific research areas and tasks, for designing research programs.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• critically evaluates research projects in political science and economics
• critically evaluates research projects in political science and economics
• designs methodological frameworks for research projects in political science and economics
• knows the key principles of the most common methodologies and research methods of political science and economics

Course Contents

• Topic 1. Introduction to the Philosophy and Methodology of Science
• Topic 2. Methodological Specialization and Integration
• Topic 3. Challenges of Quantitative Research
• Topic 4. Challenges of Qualitative Research
• Topic 6. Challenges of (Neo)institutionalism(s)
• Topic 7. Challenges of Constructivist Tradition(s)
• Topic 5. Challenges of 'Mixed' Research

Assessment Elements

• Group Work Papers and Presentation
  Your research project will be divided into 3 steps. 1. Formulating a puzzle and a research question. 2. Discussing methodological options and challenges. 3. Summarizing the research design and suggesting expected results. Each step presupposes that your group а) sends a presentation to the instructor's email one day before seminar, b) then gives a 20-minute oral presentation, your ideas are discussed in class, your team gets feedback from instructor and other students, c) and, finally, prepares the written form of this step, taking into account the feedback received, within a week (2-4 pages). Each member of a team should be involved in preparation and oral presentation of every step. Violation of the deadlines for pre-uploading presentation or uploading text will result in 1 penalty point in each case. Absence of presentation or text of each step will result in 3 penalty points in each case. The final grade for group work is calculated as a mean grade of 3 intermediate papers.
• Group Work Final Paper
  The final project is a compilation of 3 intermediate papers which is completely edited and equipped with all the necessary logical transitions between 3 parts. It also works as a chance to improve any drawbacks which have not been improved during the main part of the course. Violation of the deadline for submitting final text will result in 1 penalty point for each day.
• Peer Review
  The review should reflect in free form the strengths and weaknesses of the reviewed paper, and also indicate points of growth (1-2 pages). It is forbidden to criticize the personalities of team members and use non-academic vocabulary in reviews.
• Participation and Discussions in Class

Interim Assessment

• 2024/2025 3rd module
  0.15 * Group Work Final Paper + 0.3 * Group Work Papers and Presentation + 0.3 * Participation and Discussions in Class + 0.25 * Peer Review

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Approaches and methodologies in the social sciences : a pluralist perspective / ed. by Donatella della Porta . (2008). Cambridge [u.a.]: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.283822104
• Hall, P., & Taylor, R. (1996). Political Science and the Three New Institutionalisms. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.45428ED0
• Keating, M., & Della Porta, D. (2008). Approaches and Methodologies in the Social Sciences : A Pluralist Perspective. Cambridge , New York: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=304674
• Mahoney, J., & Goertz, G. (2006). A Tale of Two Cultures: Contrasting Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.18538E6D
• Mäki, U., & ScienceDirect (Online service). (2012). Philosophy of Economics. Amsterdam: North Holland. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=249147
• Searle, J. R. (2005). What is an institution? Journal of Institutional Economics, (01), 1. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.cup.jinsec.v1y2005i01p1.22.00
• Taagepera, R. (2018). Science walks on two legs, but social sciences try to hop on one. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.688BE5ED
• The Oxford handbook of political methodology / ed. by Janet Box-Steffensmeier . (2008). Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.253060168

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• King, G. (DE-588)135604311, (DE-576)166299405. (1994). Designing social inquiry : scientific inference in qualitative research / Gary King; Robert O. Keohane; Sidney Verba. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.039730549
• Klingemann, H.-D., & Goodin, R. E. (1996). A New Handbook of Political Science. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=273524

Authors

• PASHKOV STANISLAV GEORGIEVICH
• INSHAKOV ILYA ALEKSANDROVICH