PO939 Qualitative Methods: Data Collection and Analysis

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PO939 Qualitative Methods Data Collection and
Analysis Week 1 Introduction
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Introductions
Professor Ben Rosamond Room S1.45 (Social
Studies) Phone [phone] 524461 Email
b.j.rosamond_at_warwick.ac.uk Office hours by
appointment

• Who are you?
• Where are you from?
• Where/what have you studied previously?
• If you are planning to do a PhD, what topic do
  you have in mind? If you dont yet have plans to
  do a PhD, what particular subfields of political
  science/international relations interest you the
  most?

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Key documents
The module document syllabus, reading list,
assessment module-specific matters
MA/Diploma Handbook PAIS regulations,
deadlines, general advice
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Discussion exercise 1

• Why is it important to think systematically
  about research methods?
• What do we mean by the term qualitative
  methods?

• Some issues
• Qualitative non-quantitative?
• Is qualitative research more inductive than
  deductive?
• Is there one way of doing (qualitative)
  research? Or many?
• Explanation
• Understanding
• Transformation

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Aims and Objectives
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Syllabus
Week 1 Introduction to the module what is
qualitative research in politics and
international relations? Week 2 The role of the
researcher objectivity and values, validity and
reliability in qualitative research Week 3
Research design and questions of methodology Week
4 Addressing ethical issues in qualitative
research Week 5 Documentary/archival analysis AND
Modern Records Centre (MRC) tour in Monday class
time Week 6 READING WEEK no Monday class visit
to the National Archives (Kew) full day trip TBC
(probably on the Friday) Week 7 Interviews in
qualitative research discourse analysis Week 8
Participant observation Week 9 Fieldwork
undertaking sensitive or dangerous research Week
10 Analysis and interpretation of qualitative
data conclusions and looking ahead
A word on seminars how will they operate and
what is expected of you?
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Assessment

• One 5000 word research essay
• Submission 12.00 noon on Friday 23 January 2009
  (week 3, term 2).
• Deadline for agreement of title 12.00 noon on
  Thursday 13 November 2008 (week 7, term 1).

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Reading

• A word on the literature
• general material on qualitative methods
• more specific literature on the application of
  qualitative methods to the study of politics and
  international relations
• literature on qualitative methods applied to
  other (cognate) disciplines
• General texts (see p. 5 of the module guide)
• Journals (p. 7) nb library electronic
  resources
• The internet (p.8)
• Weekly reading (from p. 9)
• core
• supplementary

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Module website
http//www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/staff/rosam
ond/teaching/qualmeth/
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Discussion exercise 2

• In groups of 2-3, consider the following research
  questions. In each case consider (a) whether
  qualitative methods offer an appropriate
  research strategy and (b) what sort of
  qualitative approach might be appropriate
• How do European policy-makers understand
  globalisation?
• What impact do ideas about globalisation have
  upon policy outcomes in European states?
• Why do some nations spend more on weapons than
  others?
• Does the conduct of US foreign policy radicalise
  potential terrorists?
• Do rising house prices cause political
  conservatism?

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Research question
Sites and subjects of research
Collection of data
Interpretation of data
Theory