Qualitative research methods 1600-SZD-N-MBJ-BPA

The subject encompasses a discussion of overarching themes in qualitative research methodology, including the types and currents of qualitative research (non-quantitative "q" research and "Q" research (anti-positivist and interpretive)); disparities in research conceptualization between quantitative and qualitative inquiries; the selection of research subjects in qualitative studies; variations in case studies and qualitative comparative research; considerations of representativeness and saturation; and ethical standards in qualitative research. Additionally, doctoral candidates will gain a comprehensive understanding of the following research methods: the grounded theory method and its evolution; thematic analysis and qualitative content analysis, encompassing inductive and deductive coding techniques in practice; critical discourse analysis; and observational and participatory methods. Doctoral candidates will also acquire the skills needed to craft a scholarly article based on empirical qualitative research.

General topics coverage:
1. Revision. Types and Trends in Qualitative Research (Q Studies (Non-quantitative) and Q Studies (Antipositivist and Interpretive); Contrasts in Research Approaches between Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiries). Selection of Research Subjects in Qualitative Studies, Representativeness, Saturation, Ethical Standards in Qualitative Research
Warm-up Movie: Saunder’s research onion (developed by Saunders et al in 2007.)
Discussion of a note prepared by the teacher
Readings (work in group/discussion on texts):
• Emmons, Cassandra and Andrew Moravcsik, “Graduate Qualitative Methods Training in Political Science: A Disciplinary Crisis,” PS: Political Science & Politics 53/2 (April 2020): 258-264.
• Mahoney, James, “After KKV. The New Methodology of Qualitative Research,” World Politics 62/1 (2010): 120-147.
• Wood, Elisabeth Jean, “The Ethical Challenges of Field Research in Conflict Zones,” Qualitative Sociology 29/3 (2006): 373-86.
• Hoover Green, Amelia, and Dara Kay Cohen, “Centering Human Subjects: The Ethics of ‘Desk Research’ on Political Violence,” Journal of Global Security Studies 6/2 (2021).
• Darnton, Christopher, “The Provenance Problem: Research Methods and Ethics in the Age of WikiLeaks,” American Political Science Review 116/3 (2022): 1110–1125.
Suggested readings:
• Miles, M.B., Huberman, A.M. & Saldana, J. 2014. Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook – Third edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Silverman, D. 2013. Doing Qualitative Research, London: Sage.
• W. Lawrence Newman, Basics of Social Research: Qualitative & Quantitative Approaches. Pearson New International Edition 2014.
• Earl Babbie, The Basics of Social Research. Wadsworth 2011.
• John W. Creswell, Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage 2014.

In-class/Home assignment:
Prepare a note/mind map on the topic of Qualitative Content Analysis:
1) Inductive Coding Techniques in Practice
2) Deductive Coding Techniques in Practice
Readings:
• The Practical Guide to Qualitative Content Analysis,
• Deductive and inductive approaches to qualitative coding,

2. Critical Discourse Analysis
Warm-up Movie: Norman Fairclough's Three Dimensional Model of CDA
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Jacobs, K. (2019). Discourse analysis, In: Walters, M. (ed), Social Research Methods, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, pp. 316-340.
• Jacobs, K. (2021). Discourse Analysis. In: Baum, S. (eds) Methods in Urban Analysis. Cities Research Series. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1677-8_9
• Yaser Khajavi and Alireza Rasti (2020) A discourse analytic investigation into politicians’ use of rhetorical and persuasive strategies: The case of US election speeches, Cogent Arts & Humanities 7(1), 1-15, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2020.1740051

3. Critical Discourse Analysis
Warm-up Movie: Bacchi's view of public policy,
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Jacobs, K. (2019). Discourse analysis, In: Walters, M. (ed), Social Research Methods, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, pp. 316-340.
• Jacobs, K. (2021). Discourse Analysis. In: Baum, S. (eds) Methods in Urban Analysis. Cities Research Series. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1677-8_9
• Alice Tawell & Gillean McCluskey (2022) Utilising Bacchi's what's the problem represented to be? (WPR) approach to analyse national school exclusion policy in England and Scotland: a worked example, International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 45:2, 137-149, DOI: 10.1080/1743727X.2021.1976750
• Price, Richard, “A Genealogy of the Chemical Weapons Taboo,” International Organization 49/1 (1995): 73-103.
Suggested readings:
• Bacchi, C. (2009). Analysing Policy: What’s the problem represented to be? New South Wales: Pearson Education.
• Andersen, N. (2003). Discursive Analytical Strategies. Bristol: Policy Press.

4. Thematic Analysis
Warm-up Movie: Thematic Analysis in Qualitative Research,
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Braun, V., and Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101. doi: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
• Herzog, C., Handke, C., Hitters, E. (2019). Analyzing Talk and Text II: Thematic Analysis. In: Van den Bulck, H., Puppis, M., Donders, K., Van Audenhove, L. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Methods for Media Policy Research. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16065-4_22
• Botterill, L., & Lewis, N. (2023). Thematic analysis using the Schwartz values theory: Exploring the use of values appeals in persuasive speech during COVID-19 in Australia. European Political Science Review, 15(1), 136-144. doi:10.1017/S1755773922000509
Suggested readings:
• Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. London: SAGE Publications.

5. Case Studies
Warm-up Movies: Types of Case Study. Part 1 of 3 on Case Studies, Planning a Case Study. Part 2 of 3 on Case Studies,
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• George, Alexander and Andrew Bennett, Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2005) – Chapters 1, 4-5.
• Blattman, Christopher, “Children and War: How ‘Soft’ Research Can Answer the Hard Questions in Political Science,” Perspectives on Politics 10/2 (2012): 403-413.
• Bakke, Kristin, “Copying and Learning from Outsiders? Assessing Diffusion from Transnational Insurgents in the Chechen Wars,” in Jeffrey T. Checkel, Editor, Transnational Dynamics of Civil War (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013) - Chapter 2
Suggested readings:
• Gerring, John, Case Study Research: Principles and Practices, Second Edition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017) – Chapters 1-3, 5, 7-8, 11.

6. Observational and Participatory Methods
Warm-up Movies: 2.2 Participant Observation | Qualitative Methods, Participatory Action Research
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Philip Balsiger and Alexandre Lambelet, (2014) 7 Participant Observation [In:] Donatella della Porta (ed.) Methodological Practices in Social Movement Research, Oxford University Press.
• Gillespie, A., & Michelson, M. R. (2011). Participant Observation and the Political Scientist: Possibilities, Priorities, and Practicalities. PS: Political Science and Politics, 44(2), 261–265. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41319906
• Kiran Cunningham and Lillian Muyomba-Tamale (2022), 30 Action Research. In: Selen A. Ercan (ed.) et al., Research Methods in Deliberative Democracy, Oxford University Press.
Suggested readings:
• Alice McIntyre, Participatory Action Research (2008, SAGE Publications).

7. Qualitative Comparative Research
Warm-up Movies: Comparative Historical Analysis by Marcus Kreuzer, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA): Principles and Application
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Mahoney, James and Kathleen Thelen, Editors, Advances in Comparative Historical Analysis (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015) – Chapters 1, 6, 8, 9.
• Gibson, Christopher, Movement-driven Development: The Politics of Health and Democracy in Brazil (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019) – Chapters 1, 4.
• Toshkov, D., Research Design in Political Science, (Palgrave, 2016) – Chapter 9. QCA

8. Grounded Theory Method and Its Evolution
Warm-up Movie: Grounded theory,
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Kathy Charmaz (2019) Grounded Theory. In: lan Bryman, Tim Liao, Michael Lewis-Beck (Eds.), The Sage encyclopedia of social science research methods, SAGE Publications.
• Brittney Becker, Götz Kaufmann (Ed.) (2012), The Grounded Theory Method and its uses for political science, Series of Papers: Methods of Field Research. https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/fub188/19260/Becker_GTM_Political_Science.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
• Dylan J. Swift, A GROUNDED THEORY APPROACH TO ANALYZING POLITICAL NARRATIVES, https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/216048876.pdf
Suggested readings:
• Antony Bryant, Kathy Charmaz (2019), The SAGE Handbook Of Current Developments In Grounded Theory, SAGE Publications.
• Antony Bryant, Kathy Charmaz (2007), The SAGE Handbook of Grounded Theory, SAGE Publications.
• Kapiszewski, Diana, Lauren MacLean and Benjamin Read, Field Research in Political Science: Practices and Principles (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015) – Chapters 1, 3, 4, 7.
• Geertz, Clifford, “Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture,” in The Interpretation of Cultures (NY: Basic Books, 1973) – Chapter 1.
• Schatz, Edward, “Introduction: Ethnographic Immersion and the Study of Politics,” in Edward Schatz, Editor, Political Ethnography: What Immersion Contributes to the Study of Power (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009) – Introduction.
• Gusterson, Hugh, “Ethnographic Research,” in Audie Klotz and Deepa Prakash, Editors, Qualitative Methods in International Relations: A Pluralist Guide (NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) – Chapter 7.
• Wood, Elisabeth Jean, “Ethnographic Research in the Shadow of Civil War,” in Insurgent Collective Action and Civil War in El Salvador (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003) – Chapter 2.
• Fujii, Lee Ann, “Five Stories of Accidental Ethnography: Turning Unplanned Moments in the Field into Data,” Qualitative Research 15/4 (2015): 525–39.

FINAL ASSIGNMENT:
• Prepare a RESEARCH PAPER on a topic of your choice. In the article, apply the selected qualitative research method discussed in class. The paper (about 20 pages, 8 000 words) should be compiled in the following order: title; abstract; keywords (between 5 and 10); main text introduction; materials and methods; results; discussion; references; appendices (as appropriate). Spelling can be US or UK English so long as usage is consistent.
Writing a Research Paper
Six Simple Steps for Writing a Research Paper Paper
How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide
A general guide on how to conduct and write a literature review

General topics coverage:
1. Revision. Types and Trends in Qualitative Research (Q Studies (Non-quantitative) and Q Studies (Antipositivist and Interpretive); Contrasts in Research Approaches between Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiries). Selection of Research Subjects in Qualitative Studies, Representativeness, Saturation, Ethical Standards in Qualitative Research
Warm-up Movie: Saunder’s research onion (developed by Saunders et al in 2007.)
Discussion of a note prepared by the teacher
Readings (work in group/discussion on texts):
• Emmons, Cassandra and Andrew Moravcsik, “Graduate Qualitative Methods Training in Political Science: A Disciplinary Crisis,” PS: Political Science & Politics 53/2 (April 2020): 258-264.
• Mahoney, James, “After KKV. The New Methodology of Qualitative Research,” World Politics 62/1 (2010): 120-147.
• Wood, Elisabeth Jean, “The Ethical Challenges of Field Research in Conflict Zones,” Qualitative Sociology 29/3 (2006): 373-86.
• Hoover Green, Amelia, and Dara Kay Cohen, “Centering Human Subjects: The Ethics of ‘Desk Research’ on Political Violence,” Journal of Global Security Studies 6/2 (2021).
• Darnton, Christopher, “The Provenance Problem: Research Methods and Ethics in the Age of WikiLeaks,” American Political Science Review 116/3 (2022): 1110–1125.
Suggested readings:
• Miles, M.B., Huberman, A.M. & Saldana, J. 2014. Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook – Third edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Silverman, D. 2013. Doing Qualitative Research, London: Sage.
• W. Lawrence Newman, Basics of Social Research: Qualitative & Quantitative Approaches. Pearson New International Edition 2014.
• Earl Babbie, The Basics of Social Research. Wadsworth 2011.
• John W. Creswell, Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage 2014.

In-class/Home assignment:
Prepare a note/mind map on the topic of Qualitative Content Analysis:
1) Inductive Coding Techniques in Practice
2) Deductive Coding Techniques in Practice
Readings:
• The Practical Guide to Qualitative Content Analysis,
• Deductive and inductive approaches to qualitative coding,

2. Critical Discourse Analysis
Warm-up Movie: Norman Fairclough's Three Dimensional Model of CDA
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Jacobs, K. (2019). Discourse analysis, In: Walters, M. (ed), Social Research Methods, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, pp. 316-340.
• Jacobs, K. (2021). Discourse Analysis. In: Baum, S. (eds) Methods in Urban Analysis. Cities Research Series. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1677-8_9
• Yaser Khajavi and Alireza Rasti (2020) A discourse analytic investigation into politicians’ use of rhetorical and persuasive strategies: The case of US election speeches, Cogent Arts & Humanities 7(1), 1-15, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2020.1740051

3. Critical Discourse Analysis
Warm-up Movie: Bacchi's view of public policy,
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Jacobs, K. (2019). Discourse analysis, In: Walters, M. (ed), Social Research Methods, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, pp. 316-340.
• Jacobs, K. (2021). Discourse Analysis. In: Baum, S. (eds) Methods in Urban Analysis. Cities Research Series. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1677-8_9
• Alice Tawell & Gillean McCluskey (2022) Utilising Bacchi's what's the problem represented to be? (WPR) approach to analyse national school exclusion policy in England and Scotland: a worked example, International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 45:2, 137-149, DOI: 10.1080/1743727X.2021.1976750
• Price, Richard, “A Genealogy of the Chemical Weapons Taboo,” International Organization 49/1 (1995): 73-103.
Suggested readings:
• Bacchi, C. (2009). Analysing Policy: What’s the problem represented to be? New South Wales: Pearson Education.
• Andersen, N. (2003). Discursive Analytical Strategies. Bristol: Policy Press.

4. Thematic Analysis
Warm-up Movie: Thematic Analysis in Qualitative Research,
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Braun, V., and Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101. doi: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
• Herzog, C., Handke, C., Hitters, E. (2019). Analyzing Talk and Text II: Thematic Analysis. In: Van den Bulck, H., Puppis, M., Donders, K., Van Audenhove, L. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Methods for Media Policy Research. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16065-4_22
• Botterill, L., & Lewis, N. (2023). Thematic analysis using the Schwartz values theory: Exploring the use of values appeals in persuasive speech during COVID-19 in Australia. European Political Science Review, 15(1), 136-144. doi:10.1017/S1755773922000509
Suggested readings:
• Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. London: SAGE Publications.

5. Case Studies
Warm-up Movies: Types of Case Study. Part 1 of 3 on Case Studies, Planning a Case Study. Part 2 of 3 on Case Studies,
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• George, Alexander and Andrew Bennett, Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2005) – Chapters 1, 4-5.
• Blattman, Christopher, “Children and War: How ‘Soft’ Research Can Answer the Hard Questions in Political Science,” Perspectives on Politics 10/2 (2012): 403-413.
• Bakke, Kristin, “Copying and Learning from Outsiders? Assessing Diffusion from Transnational Insurgents in the Chechen Wars,” in Jeffrey T. Checkel, Editor, Transnational Dynamics of Civil War (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013) - Chapter 2
Suggested readings:
• Gerring, John, Case Study Research: Principles and Practices, Second Edition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017) – Chapters 1-3, 5, 7-8, 11.

6. Observational and Participatory Methods
Warm-up Movies: 2.2 Participant Observation | Qualitative Methods, Participatory Action Research
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Philip Balsiger and Alexandre Lambelet, (2014) 7 Participant Observation [In:] Donatella della Porta (ed.) Methodological Practices in Social Movement Research, Oxford University Press.
• Gillespie, A., & Michelson, M. R. (2011). Participant Observation and the Political Scientist: Possibilities, Priorities, and Practicalities. PS: Political Science and Politics, 44(2), 261–265. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41319906
• Kiran Cunningham and Lillian Muyomba-Tamale (2022), 30 Action Research. In: Selen A. Ercan (ed.) et al., Research Methods in Deliberative Democracy, Oxford University Press.
Suggested readings:
• Alice McIntyre, Participatory Action Research (2008, SAGE Publications).

7. Qualitative Comparative Research
Warm-up Movies: Comparative Historical Analysis by Marcus Kreuzer, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA): Principles and Application
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Mahoney, James and Kathleen Thelen, Editors, Advances in Comparative Historical Analysis (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015) – Chapters 1, 6, 8, 9.
• Gibson, Christopher, Movement-driven Development: The Politics of Health and Democracy in Brazil (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019) – Chapters 1, 4.
• Toshkov, D., Research Design in Political Science, (Palgrave, 2016) – Chapter 9. QCA

8. Grounded Theory Method and Its Evolution
Warm-up Movie: Grounded theory,
Readings (work in group/discussion on students’ notes/mind maps based on the texts):
• Kathy Charmaz (2019) Grounded Theory. In: lan Bryman, Tim Liao, Michael Lewis-Beck (Eds.), The Sage encyclopedia of social science research methods, SAGE Publications.
• Brittney Becker, Götz Kaufmann (Ed.) (2012), The Grounded Theory Method and its uses for political science, Series of Papers: Methods of Field Research. https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/fub188/19260/Becker_GTM_Political_Science.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
• Dylan J. Swift, A GROUNDED THEORY APPROACH TO ANALYZING POLITICAL NARRATIVES, https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/216048876.pdf
Suggested readings:
• Antony Bryant, Kathy Charmaz (2019), The SAGE Handbook Of Current Developments In Grounded Theory, SAGE Publications.
• Antony Bryant, Kathy Charmaz (2007), The SAGE Handbook of Grounded Theory, SAGE Publications.
• Kapiszewski, Diana, Lauren MacLean and Benjamin Read, Field Research in Political Science: Practices and Principles (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015) – Chapters 1, 3, 4, 7.
• Geertz, Clifford, “Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture,” in The Interpretation of Cultures (NY: Basic Books, 1973) – Chapter 1.
• Schatz, Edward, “Introduction: Ethnographic Immersion and the Study of Politics,” in Edward Schatz, Editor, Political Ethnography: What Immersion Contributes to the Study of Power (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009) – Introduction.
• Gusterson, Hugh, “Ethnographic Research,” in Audie Klotz and Deepa Prakash, Editors, Qualitative Methods in International Relations: A Pluralist Guide (NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) – Chapter 7.
• Wood, Elisabeth Jean, “Ethnographic Research in the Shadow of Civil War,” in Insurgent Collective Action and Civil War in El Salvador (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003) – Chapter 2.
• Fujii, Lee Ann, “Five Stories of Accidental Ethnography: Turning Unplanned Moments in the Field into Data,” Qualitative Research 15/4 (2015): 525–39.

FINAL ASSIGNMENT:
• Prepare a scientific paper (a review article) of approximately 3000 words, in which you critically discuss a selected qualitative research method covered during the course. Spelling can be US or UK English so long as usage is consistent.
Writing a Research Paper
Six Simple Steps for Writing a Research Paper Paper
How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide
A general guide on how to conduct and write a literature review

Not applicable

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