Class 1 (Sept 21):Introduction to the Seminar: Working in and on International Politics
Readings: None
PART I: CONCEPTS, METHODS, MODELS REVISITED
Class 2 (Sept 23):Issues, Methodologies, Theories, and Values in Global Political Research
Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Political Research,”Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills(Oxford University Press, 2017), pp.1-22 [Chapter 1]
Class 3 (Sept 28): Philosophy of Knowledge in Political Science
Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Forms of Knowledge,” & “Objectivity and Values”Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills: pp. 25-34; 41-50; 54-70 (2017 edition) [parts of Chapter 2 & 3]
Recommended:
Michael Desch (2019). “How Political Science became Irrelevant: The field turned its back on the Beltway,” The Chronicle of Higher Education
Class 4 (Sept 30):Asking and Answering Research Questions: Formulating Puzzles & Hypotheses
Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath,”Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills(Oxford University Press, 2017) “Asking Questions,” and “Finding Answers,” [Chapters chapters 4 & 5]
Class 5 (Oct 2):Research Question Workshop I
Workshop Assignment 1: Post a draft of your research question to moodle and bring it to class
Readings: Max Weber (1958), “Science as a Vocation,” Daedalus, (87)1
Class 6 (Oct 5):Researching Databases & Advanced Bibliographies (Turn in Revised Draft of Research Question to be graded)
Library Session
Class 7 (Oct 7): Effective Research Designs
Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath,”Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills: “Research Design,”& “What is Data?” [Chapters 6 & 7 in 2017 edition]
Class 8 (Oct 12): Research Question Workshop II
Workshop Assignment 2: On moodle, name the most important term of your research topic. Then: 1) Attempt a working definition for that term (conceptualization) and 2) Name one way you could measure it in reality (operationalization)
Class 9 (Oct 14):Doing Research I: Comparative Method and Process Tracing
Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath,”Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills: “Comparative Research” [Chapter 9 in 2017 edition]
James Mahoney (2004), “Comparative-Historical Methodology,” Annual Review of Sociology (30)
Class 10 (Oct 19): Doing Research II: Interviews and Surveys
(Bibliography due)
Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath,”Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills “Surveys,” and “Interviewing and Focus Groups,” [Chapters 11 & 12 of 2017 edition]
Class 11 (Oct 21): Doing Research III: Ethnographies and Textual Analysis
Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath,”Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills “Ethnography and Participant Observation,” and “Textual Analysis,” [Chapters 13 & 14 of 2017 edition]
Recommended: CliffordGeertz, “Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture,”
Class 12 (Oct 26): METHODOLOGY QUIZ
Class 13 (Oct 28): Writing
Readings: Bidisha Biswas & Agnieszka Paczynska (2015), “Teaching theory, writing policy: Integrating lessons from foggy bottom into the classroom,”PS: Political Science & Politics, 48 (1): 157-161.Link
Class14 (Nov 2): Putting Methodology to Work I:
Workshop Assignment 3: Group 1 maps out the methodology and substance of the following two articles:
Omar Wasow (2020), “Agenda Seeding: How 1960s Black Protests Moved Elites, Public Opinion and Voting,” American Political Science Review 114(3)
Brandon Vaidyanathan (2020) “Systemic Racial Bias in the Criminal Justice System is not a Myth,” Public Discourse
Recommended
Michael Tesler (2016) “The Return of Old-Fashioned Racism to White Americans’ Partisan Preferences in the Early Obama Era,” The Journal of Politics 75(1)
Robin Engel, Hannah McManus and Gabrielle Isaza, “Moving beyond ‘Best Practice’: Experiences in Political Reform and a Call to reduce Officer-Involved Shootings,” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (2020) 647(1)
Class 15 (Nov 4): Putting Methodology to Work I:
Workshop Assignment 3: Group 2 maps out the methodology and substance of the following two articles:
Robert D. Blackwill and Thomas Wright (2020), “The End of World Order and American Foreign Policy,” Council on Foreign Relations
Francis Fukuyama, (2020), “The Pandemic and Political Order: It Takes a State,” Foreign Affairs
Jeffrey Cimmino, Matthew Kroenig and Barry Pavel (2020), “Taking Stock: Where are Geopolitics Headed in the COVID-19 Era?” Atlantic Council
Classes 16-20 (Nov 6-Nov 18): (Outline Due November 6) One on One Writing Workshops
Students are required to sign up for a 30-minute meeting with Professor Driessen between November 6- November 18
DRAFT OF LITERATURE REVIEW DUE NOV 20; TO BE CIRCULATED AMONG PARTICIPANTS
PART II: DOING AND PRESENTING IR RESEARCH AND POLICY OPTIONS
Students are required to sign up for a 30-minute meeting with Professor Driessen between November 23-November 30
Class 21 (Nov 23):Student Presentations & Discussion
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Class 22 (Nov 25): Student Presentations & Discussion
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Class 23 (Nov 30):Student Presentations & Discussion
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Class 24 (Dec 2):Student Presentations & Discussion
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Class 25 (Dec 7):Student Presentations & Discussion
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Class 26 (Dec 9):Student Presentations & Discussion
Workshop Assignment 4: Post on Moodle Calendar Plan for Next Semester Thesis Writing
Presenter 1: Discussant 1:
Presenter 2: Discussant 2:
FINAL TERM RESEARCH/POLICY PAPER DUE on FINAL EXAM DATE
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