Epistemology and Methods

Annabelle Littoz-Monnet
Oliver Jütersonke

E150 | Spring | 6ECTS
 

The course covers the main epistemological debates related to social science research as well as more concrete methodological issues. The first part of the course presents different epistemological approaches, positivism, post-positivisn and critical theory, and sheds light on how the process of research and scientific evolution can be approached from each perspective. In this respect, foundational texts, illustrating epistemological debates in different disciplines, will be studied. The second part of the course deals with more specific questions related to these broader debates: e.g. the notions of causality, determinism, induction and deduction. In the third part, we will look at more concrete methodological issues. Topics such as how to choose a research question, how to select a case study, and how to avoid selection bias, will be discussed.