Research Design in International Relations (E051)

Course Organization

Class Meeting Times
Thursdays, 12.15-14.00 (Rigot)

Lecturer
Manfred Elsig
elsig@hei.unige.ch
Rigot 18
Office Hours: Thursdays 15.00-16.30 & by appointment

Teaching Assistant
Andrew Prosser
prosser0@hei.unige.ch
022 908 5948
Rigot 35
Office Hours:

Course Description

This course is a survey of basic issues in the research of international relations. Through readings, lectures, and assignments, the objectives of the course are to give students an introduction to the research skills involved in political analysis and to aid them in developing a research design for pieces of personal research. Students will achieve a solid understanding of the fundamental logic of social science research, but will not achieve proficiency in any specific research method.

Topics for the course include basic questions of the philosophy of social science, the role of theories, the construction of research questions, issues of selection, validity, reliability, and measurement, and a discussion of a few specific methods and techniques. The readings are a mix of practical guides, discussions of research issues, and examples of the use of various research methods.

Readings

In order to prepare assignments and to participate in class discussions, students must do a set of required readings. A reading packet including all those readings is available for purchase at Imprimerie Minute. Additional reading material will be posted on the website of the course (instructor will notify when this is the case).

Evaluation

All students are required to write a short assignment and present it in class during the semester and to submit a more substantive piece of work at the end of the semester. Class participation will also be considered in the course evaluation.

a) Students are asked to present a scholarly article in class and critically discuss its strength and weaknesses from a design perspective. In addition, they will submit a short paper based on their presentation (5 pages). This assignment is meant to encourage application of the issues discussed in class and in the reading material. The assignment is worth 25% of the course grade. Electronic copies of assignments are due to the teaching assistant, Andrew Prosser ( prosser0@hei.unige.ch ).

b) Research Design Paper (15-20 pages long)

Each student is asked to write a research design paper (that could be potentially used for her or his Master Thesis). The paper is due on June 20, 2008 (6pm) and is worth 55% of the course grade.

1. Presentation, discussion, & justification of a research question
2. Detailed review of existing literature
3. Sketch of an original/new argument, hypothesis that could be submitted to empirical evaluation.
4. Brief discussion of data selection
5. Discussion of measurement issues

c) Participation in class discussions will count for 20% of the course grade.

Course Outline

FEBRUARY 21 INTRODUCTION TO COURSE

FEBRUARY 28 PARADIGMS, THEORIES and CAUSALITY

• Geddes Barbara 2003. Paradigms and Sand Castles. Theory Building and Research Design in Comparative Politics . The University of Michigan Press, Chapter 1
• George, Alexander and Andrew Bennett 2004. Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences . Cambridge : MIT Press, Chapter 7
• King, Gary, Keohane, Robert O. and Verba, Sidney 1994. Designing Social Inquiry. Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton: Princeton University Press, Chapter 1
• Gerring, John 2005. “Causation. A Unified Framework for the Social Sciences.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 17(2): 163-198.

MARCH 6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS, PUZZLES AND CASE-STUDY METHODS

• Geddes 2003, Chapter 2
• Zinnes, Dina A. 1980. “Three Puzzles in Search of a Researcher.” International Studies Quarterly 24 (September): 315-342
• George and Bennett 2004, Chapter 4, pp. 73-79
• Odell, John 2001. “Case Study Methods in International Political Economy” International Studies Perspectives 2: 161-76.

MARCH 13 NO CLASS / CATCH UP IN THE WEEK OF MAY 12

MARCH 20 “MODEL BUILDING” [CONCEPTS, ARGUMENTS, AND HYPOTHESES]

• King, Keohane and Verba 1994, Chapter 3.
• George and Bennett 2004, Chapter 4, pp.79-88.
• Fearon James 1991. “Counterfactuals and Hypothesis Testing in Political Science” World Politics 43 (January):169-95.

MARCH 27 EASTER BREAK

APRIL 3 DATA SELECTION, OPERATIONALIZATION AND MEASUREMENT

• King, Keohane and Verba 1994, Chapter 4.
• Geddes 2003, Chapter 3
• George and Bennett 2004, Chapter 5
• Bowman Kirk, Fabrice Lehoucq and James Mahoney 2005. “ Measuring Political Democracy. Case Expertise, Data Adquacy, and Central America ” Comparative Political Studies 38(8):939-70.

APRIL 10 IMPLICATIONS + ASSIGNMENT 1 PRESENTATIONS

• George and Bennett 2004, Chapter 6
• King, Keohane and Verba 1994, Chapter 6

APRIL 17 ASSIGNMENT 1 PRESENTATIONS

APRIL 24 ASSIGNMENT 1 PRESENTATIONS

MAY 1 LABOR DAY

MAY 8 PROCESS-TRACING

• George and Bennett 2003, Chapter 10
• Checkel Jeffrey 2005. “It's the Process Stupid! Process Tracing in the Study of European and International Politics” Arena Working Paper Series 26

Week of MAY 12 CONTENT ANALYSIS

• Manheim, Jarol and Rich, Richard 1995. Empirical Political Analysis , Chapter 10, Content Analysis.
• Young, Michael D. and Mark Schafer 1998. “Is There Method in Our Madness? Ways of Assessing Cognition in International Relations”, Mershon International Studies Review 1(4): 63-96.
• Laver, Michael and John Garry 2000. “Estimating Policy Positions from Political Texts”, American Journal of Political Science : 619-634.

MAY 15 SURVEY RESEARCH

• Brady, Harry E. 2000. “Contributions of Survey Research to Political Science”, PS: Political Science and Politics 33 (March): 47-57.
• Manheim and Rich 1995, Chapter 7, Survey Research
• Herrmann, Richard, Philip Tetlock, and Matthew Diascro 2001. “How Americans Think About Trade”, International Studies Quarterly 45:191-218.

MAY 22 NETWORK ANALYSIS

• Sciarini, Pascal, et al. 2004. “ How Europe Hits Home: Evidence from the Swiss Case”, Journal of European Public Policy 11(3): 353-378 (and questionnaires).
• Serdült, Uwe and Hirschi, Christian 2004. “From Process to Structure: Developing a Reliable and Valid Tool for Policy Network Comparison”, Swiss Political Science Review 10(2):137-55.

MAY 29 WRAP-UP

JUNE 20 FINAL PAPERS DUE