Course Organization
Professor:
Liliana Andonova
liliana.andonova@graduateinstitute.ch
+41 22 908 59 43
Office hours:
Tuesdays 12:00-14:00
(Rigot 30)
Assistant:
Assia Alexieva
assia.alexieva@graduateinstitute.ch
+41 22 908 59 48
Office hours:
Tuesdays 14:30-16:30
(Rigot 35)
Course Description
The course provides a survey of basic topics and methods in political science research. It is aimed primarily at first-year MIS students in political science. The objectives of the course are to give students an introduction to the research skills involved in political analysis through readings, lectures, and assignments and to aid them in developing a research design for individual research projects.
Syllabus
Topics for the course include basic questions of the philosophy of social science, the role of theories, the identification of research questions, hypotheses formulation and testing, case selection, data collection and measurement. Several specific research methods and techniques will be examined. The readings are a mix of practical guides, discussions of research issues, and examples of the use of various research methods. Students will also prepare a research design paper which should help them structure and conduct the research and analysis of their graduate memoire.
Readings:
Students should purchase the following book: Gary King, Robert Keohane and Sydney Verba, Designing Social Inquiry, (Princeton, 1994).
The rest of the required readings are included in a reading packet available for purchase at Imprimerie Minute. Additional reading material may be posted on the website of the course (instructor will notify when this is the case).
In order to prepare assignments and to participate in class discussions, students must read the required readings prior to class.
Evaluation:
Class participation: 10%
One short paper and group assignment: 20%
Presentation of concepts and case selection: 20%
Research design paper: 50%
Research Design Paper (No longer than 10-15 double spaced pages)
The research design should include:
1. Presentation, discussion, & justification of research question
2. Concise review of relevant literature
3. Presentation and discussion of specific hypotheses or arguments, and alternative explanations
4. Discussion of key concepts and measurement issues
5. Discussion of data or case selection and methodology
Group Assignments:
On the first day of class, students will have to sign up for one group assignment. Depending on the class size, groups will comprise of 3-4 students. The assignments consist of two components. Each student has to submit an individual discussion paper on the selected reading, and together with the group prepare a panel discussion for the respective class session of the selected reading(s). Individual and group assignments are due, either in hard copy form or as a Word attachment, to Assia Alexieva, on the Monday prior to the class by 10.00am.
Class Schedule
February 23: Introduction
March 2: Perspectives on Social Science
Gary King, Robert Keohane and Sydney Verba, Designing Social Inquiry, (Princeton,
1994). Chap. 1 (p. 1-27), ch. 2 (p. 34-49).
Klotz, Audie and Cecilia Lynch. 2007. Strategies for Research in Constructivist International Relations. (M.E. Sharpe), ch. 1 “Constructivism,” pp. 3-23.
Fearon, J. and A. Wendt. 2002. Rationalism v. Constructivism: A Skeptical View. In Carlsnaes, Risse, and Simmons, eds. Handbook on International Relations, Sage.
Sil, Rudra. 2004. Problems chasing methods or methods chasing problems? Research communities constrained pluralism, and the role of eclecticism in Ian Shapiro, Rogers Smith and Tarek Masoud, eds. Problems and Methods in the Study of Politics, Cambridge University Press.
March 9: Research Question
Zinnes, Dina A. 1980. Three Puzzles in Search of a Researcher. International Studies
Quarterly 24 (September): 315-342.
Geddes, Barbara. 2003. Paradigms and Sandcastles. Ch. 2, p.27-47. The University of Michigan Press.
Assignment: Please bring to class a statement of the research question for your research design paper and a one paragraph justification as to why the question is puzzling, interesting or significant. The research question must lend itself to empirical research. At least 5 citations of relevant academic literature should be included (websites are not considered academic literature). The total length of the assignment should not exceed 1 page. In class we shall have the opportunity to discuss individual research questions and the printed copy of the assignment will be submitted to the TA.
March 16: Hypotheses and Model Building
Gary King, Robert Keohane and Sydney Verba, Designing Social Inquiry, (Princeton, 1994).
Ch. 3 and chapter 4
Rogowski, Ronald. How Inference In the Social (but Not the Physical) Sciences Neglects Theoretical Anomaly. 2004. In Brady, H.E. and Collier, D. Rethinking Social Inquiry. Rowman and Littlefield, p. 75-83
Group assignment 1: Prepare an individual 3-4 page paper and a group panel discussion on one or two research article(s) or book of your choice that you believe provide a convincing causal explanation. What question did the author pose, what alternative explanations were considered, what method was used, and what made the explanation convincing? Please distribute the article (or an illustrative chapter of the book) to the TA and the class list at least 4 days before the class meetings. All students are required to read at least 1 of the articles suggested by their colleagues and engage in the discussion.
Note: A list of possible readings will also be available on the course webpage
March: 23: Case studies and the comparative method
King, Gary, Keohane, Robert O. and Verba, Sidney 1994. Designing Social Inquiry. Princeton: Princeton University Press, Ch. 6
Lijphart, Arend. 1971. Comparative Politics and the Comparative Method. APSR, 65: 682-693.
Alexander L. George and Andrew Bennett. 2005. Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences. (MIT Press). Ch. 3 and Ch. 4.
Group assignment 2: Prepare an individual 3-4 page paper and a group panel discussion on one or two research article(s) or a book that employs a case study or comparative case studies method to test a theory. How did the author choose the unit of analysis (country, industry, village, organization, etc)? What are the main dimensions of variation and comparison? On what basis did the author(s) select the specific cases? Do you believe these are the right criteria? Did the author avoid selection bias? Are any variables held constant? How effective is the case selection? Are the results generalizable and convincing? Please distribute the article(s) (or an illustrative chapter of the book) to the TA and the class list at least 4 days before the class meetings. All students are required to read at least 1 of the articles suggested by their colleagues and engage in the discussion.
March 30: Measurement and data presentation
King, Gary, Keohane, Robert O. and Verba, Sidney 1994. Designing Social Inquiry. (Princeton: Princeton University Press), Ch. 5, 150-168
Geddes, Barbara 1990. Paradigms and Sand Castles. Ch. 3 (How the Cases you Choose Affect the Answers you Get), 89-114
Sartori, Giovanni. 1991. Comparing and Miscomparing. Journal of Theoretical Politics 3:3: 243-257.
De Soysa, Indra and Neumayer, Eric. 2005. False Prophet, or Genuine Savior? Assessing the Effects of Economic Openness on Sustainable Development, 1980-99. International Organization, Summer 2005, Vol. 59 Issue 3, p.731-772
Levy, M. 2002. “Measuring Nations’ Environmental Sustainability.” Environmental Performance Measurement: The Global Report 2001-2002.
Steinberg, Paul F. Understanding Policy Change in Developing Countries: The Spheres of Influence Framework. Global Environmental Politics, Vol. 3 Issue 1, February 2003, p11-32
Group Assignment 3: Prepare an individual 3-4 page paper and a group panel discussion on the readings by De Soysa and Neumayer, Levy, and Steinberg. How did each reading define the concept of environmental policy or environmental sustainability? How is environmental sustainability measured? What determined the choice of measures? What are the sources of data? What are the advantages or disadvantages of each measure? Can these measures be improved? Are the measures presented across the three readings compatible? Does the conceptualization and measurement of environmental sustainability influence the results of the studies?
April 6: No class
April 13: Analysis and validity
King, Gary, Keohane, Robert O. and Verba, Sidney 1994. Designing Social Inquiry. (Princeton: Princeton University Press) 168-199 (omitted variable bias, inefficiency, endogeneity)
Fearon, James D. 1991. Counterfactuals and Hypothesis Testing in Political Science. World Politics 43 (January): 169-95.
George, A.L. and A. Bennett. 2003. Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences. Chapter 9.
April 20: Content analysis
Klotz, Audie and Cecilia Lynch. 2007. Strategies for Research in Constructivist International Relations. (M.E. Sharpe), ch. 5 “Interests,” p. 86-104.
Fairclough, Norman. 2003. Analyzing Discourse. Ch. 7, 123-133.
Laver, Michael and John Garry 2000. Estimating Policy Positions from Political Texts, American Journal of Political Science: 619-634.
Risse, Thomas. 2000. “Let’s Argue! Communicative Action in World Politics,” International Organization 54:1, 1-39.
Schimmelfennig, Frank. 2001. The Community Trap: Liberal Norms, Rhetorical Action, and the Eastern Enlargement of the European Union. International Organization, Vol. 55, No. 1, (Winter, 2001), pp. 47-80
Group assignment 4: Prepare an individual 3-4 page paper and a group panel discussion on the readings by Risse and Schimmelfennig. What concepts and methods did the authors use to advance their arguments? How are the concepts operationalized? What research design and combination of methods were used to provide support for the argument? Do the arguments address validity and congruence considerations? Is the data compatible with alternative arguments? What is your assessment of the effectiveness of research design and evidence used in each article?
April 27: Survey Research and Political Interviewing
Box-Steffensmeir, J.M., H. E. Brady, and D. Collier. The Oxford Handbook of Political Methodology. (Oxford University Press). Ch. 16 and ch. 29.
Ronald Inglehart. 1999. Globalization and Postmodern Values. The Washington Quarterly, 23:1 pp. 215–228.
The World Values Survey website, http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/
Please review the website and prepare for discussion of survey, its results, and possible uses in social science research. Students are also welcome to make presentation of other survey data that they find particularly interesting or important.
Recommended: Brady, Henry E. 2000. Contributions of Survey Research to Political Science, PS:
Political Science and Politics 33 (March): 47-57.
Group assignment 5: Prepare an individual 3-4 page paper and a group panel discussion on an article or a book that employs survey data (several articles in addition to Inglehart (1999) will be suggested on the website of the course). Is the survey data employed in the study publically available? Are the survey instruments available? What is the sample size and duration of the survey? What are the advantages or disadvantages of this method of research and using survey data for political analysis? Could you propose using the same survey data to examine a different question? Please distribute the article(s) (or an illustrative chapter of the book) to the TA and the class list at least 3 days before the class meetings. All students are required to read at least 1 of the articles suggested by their colleagues and engage in the discussion.
May 4: Process tracing
George, A. L. and A. Bennett. 2003. Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences. Chapter 10 (Process Tracing and Historical Explanation).
Checkel Jeffrey 2005. “It’s the Process Stupid! Process Tracing in the Study of European and International Politics” Arena Working Paper Series 26
Allison, Graham T. 1969. Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis, The American Political Science Review, Vol. 63, No. 3. (Sep., 1969), p. 689-718
Andonova, Liliana B. 2008. “The Climate Regime and Domestic Politics: the Case of Russia,” Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 21:4, p. 483-504
May 11: Student presentation of concepts and case selection
May 26: Student presentation of concepts and case selection
June 1: Student presentation of concepts and case selection
FINAL PAPER DUE ON JUNE 4, 12:OO PM (NOON)
