Qualitative Methods in Political Research

Master 2024/2025

Type: Elective course (Comparative Politics of Eurasia)

Area of studies: Political Science

Delivered by: Department of Sociology

Where: Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences

When: 1 year, 3 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Yana Krupets

Master’s programme: Comparative Politics of Eurasia

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

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Abstract

The goal of this course is to present the fundamentals of qualitative social research, as well as to develop students’ skills of using qualitative methods in their own empirical research. Students will learn how to plan, to organize and to implement qualitative research, how to collect data and how to analyze them afterwards. In the frame of this research seminar, the focus will be done on the development of practical skills. The main idea of the seminar: learning through experience. Students will learn qualitative research by doing it. They will develop their own research design, will conduct the interviews and participant observation, will analyze collected data.

Learning Objectives

The goal of this course is to present the fundamentals of qualitative social research, as well as to develop students’ skills of using qualitative methods in their own empirical research.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Able to organize and to conduct qualitative research
Able to use qualitative methods for collection and analysis of data
Know basic strategies and methods of qualitative research
Understand the principles of qualitative research
Student knows the basic strategies of qualitaitve research and differences between them.

Course Contents

Introduction of qualitative research. The methodological basis. Design of qualitative research.
Strategies of qualitative research: general overview
Qualitative interview. Qualitative analysis of interview.
Discourse analysis.

Assessment Elements

Research Design
Data collection
The analysis of the data

Interim Assessment

2024/2025 3rd module
0.3 * Data collection + 0.3 * Research Design + 0.4 * The analysis of the data

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Leavy, P. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=779511
Patricia Leavy. (2020). The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research: Vol. Second edition. Oxford University Press.
Qualitative research in political science. Vol.1: Backgrounds, pathways and directions in qualitative methodology, , 2016
Sharan B. Merriam, & Robin S. Grenier. (2019). Qualitative Research in Practice : Examples for Discussion and Analysis: Vol. Second edition. Jossey-Bass.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Hesse-Biber, S. N., & Johnson, B. (2015). The Oxford Handbook of Multimethod and Mixed Methods Research Inquiry. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=989215
Saldaña, J. (2011). Fundamentals of Qualitative Research. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=355780
Van Puyvelde, D. V. (DE-588)1138994839, (DE-576)492808287, aut. (2018). Qualitative research interviews and the study of national security intelligence / Damien Van Puyvelde, University of Glasgow. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.513894985

Authors

Krupets Iana Nikolaevna

Course Syllabus