researching international politics: qualitative methods · 2021. 2. 15. · charles university...

Charles University Faculty of Social Sciences Department of Security Studies Department of International Relations

Researching International Politics: Qualitative

Methods

Summer semester 2020/2021

6 ECTS

Mondays 8:00-9:20, virtual room, the link to the online meeting room will be shared through SIS

section Metody výuky/Teaching Methods.

MS Teams

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join/19%3ameeting_NzJjNTg3ZGQtMjFmZi00NTNkLTk1MDUtM2RkNzIxOGRjMjU0%40thr

ead.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22e09276da-f934-4086-bf08-

8816a20414a2%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%226f6dd5db-f982-47e3-9cbe-6fc6f47e2ffa%22%7d

The course is mandatory for the students of the following programmes:

Bezpečnostní studia

Mezinárodní vztahy

Master in International Relations (MAIN)

Master in International Security Studies (MISS/ISSA)

Lecturers

dr. Vít Střítecký, [email protected]

dr. Jakub Tesař, [email protected]

dr. Zdeněk Ludvík, [email protected]

dr. Ondřej Ditrych, [email protected]

dr. Sarah Komasová, sarah.komasová@fsv.cuni.cz

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NzJjNTg3ZGQtMjFmZi00NTNkLTk1MDUtM2RkNzIxOGRjMjU0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22e09276da-f934-4086-bf08-8816a20414a2%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%226f6dd5db-f982-47e3-9cbe-6fc6f47e2ffa%22%7d




mailto:[email protected]




mailto:sarah.komasová@fsv.cuni.cz


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Please direct all communication regarding organisational issues to [email protected]

Office hours (Vít Střítecký)

See all relevant info here

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MtFds2tzmOeSesEGVa22nmZZCCNr-SfmNd-

mFi6eXWs/edit#gid=0

Course description and Teaching Methods

The course will take place on a weekly basis (80-minute long session each week).

The course aims at introducing the fundamentals of research strategies and methodologies

traditionally applied in International Relations and Security Studies. The emphasis will be put on

students’ ability to formulate a research design providing the basis for their diploma research.

The course is run on Moodle, the e-learning system of the Charles University. All materials will

be available there and you should enrol into the course in Moodle as soon as possible. To enrol, or

to access Moodle site any time later, go to the course Moodle site (see the full link below). Please

note that Moodle is not a substitute for the SIS system. It is a content management system, not the

official University system for a course registration. To take part in the course you need to be

enrolled in both SIS and in Moodle.

The full Moodle link to the course is:

https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=8558

Requirements

For a successful completion of the course students are required to complete the assigned tasks in

Moodle (assignments overview and deadlines are stated below). These will be in some cases based

on readings, which are further specified in the respective sections of the syllabus. For a successful

completion of these tasks, regular attendance at lectures is encouraged even though not obligatory.


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MtFds2tzmOeSesEGVa22nmZZCCNr-SfmNd-mFi6eXWs/edit#gid=0

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MtFds2tzmOeSesEGVa22nmZZCCNr-SfmNd-mFi6eXWs/edit#gid=0


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The assignments will be graded along the Marking Scale presented in the following section.

Furthermore, two conditions will be applied:

1) Students will not pass the course if they score 0% in two or more assignments.

2) Students will not pass the course if they fail to register their dissertations in the SIS

Delays in tasks completion will depending on severity result in point reduction, or 0% score.

Assignments overview

Topic starting date deadline

1) Methodological reconstruction - case study 1 March 14 March

2) Comparative case study and process tracing 15 March 28 March

3) Content, Thematic and Discourse analysis 19 April 2 May

4) Visual Analysis 3 May 9 May

5) Studying Practices 10 May 16 May

6) MA dissertation registration 15 February 15 June

Marking Scale

General Grade Grade Specification Percentage

A - excellent Excellent upper (1) 100 – 96

Excellent lower (2) 95 - 91

B – very good Very good upper (1) 90 - 86

Very good lower (2) 85 – 81

C - good Good upper (1) 80 – 76

Good lower (2) 75 – 71

D - satisfactory Satisfactory upper (1) 70 – 66

Satisfactory lower (2) 65 – 61

E - sufficient Sufficient upper (1) 60 - 56

Sufficient lower (2) 55 - 51


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F - fail 50 - 0

MA dissertation project and topic registration

During the semester students should start considering the topic of their MA dissertation. They

should consult it with a potential supervisor. While developing this relation, students should make

sure that their supervisor will register their MA dissertation topic in the SIS by 15th June (Task

VI).

The supervisors will ask the students to formulate the project of their MA dissertation. The project

should be finalized and uploaded to the SIS by the supervisor by the end of September 2020. There

is a template for the dissertation project that will be uploaded to the SIS.

This procedure is not related to the assessment process in this course. The course is generally

meant to contribute to students’ ability to submit a coherent piece of MA research.

Course rules

The Code of Study and Examination of Charles University in Prague provides the general

framework of study rules at the university. According to art. 6, par. 17 of this Code, “a student

may not take any examination in any subject entered in his study plan more than three times, i.e.

he shall have the right to two resit dates; no extraordinary resit date shall be permitted. (…) If a

student fails to appear for an examination on the date for which he has enrolled without duly

excusing himself, he shall not be marked; the provision of neither this nor of the first sentence

shall constitute the right to arrange for a special examination date.”

Any written assignment composed by the student shall be an original piece. The practices of

plagiarism, defined by the Dean’s Provision no. 18/2015, are seen as “a major violation of the rules

of academic ethics” and “will be penalized in accordance with Disciplinarian Regulations of the

faculty.”


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Structure of the course

1. Introductory Lecture (Vít Střítecký) – 15. 2.

Structure of the course, assignment - methodological reconstruction, MA dissertation registration

process. This lecture will introduce the assessment matrix that will be used by the reviewers to

evaluate your MA dissertation. The general philosophy as well as specific sections of the matrix

will be explained. The matrix reflects the overall requirements of a quality research and thus should

serve as the guideline for writing. The research design reflects the steps that should be taken to

perform a quality research. The process starts with the topic selection and continues through the

formulation of research questions/hypotheses to creation of the conceptual and methodological

framework. The lecture will also introduce the MA dissertation project.

2. Metatheoretical Introduction: Ontology and epistemology (Jakub Tesař) - 22. 2.

This lecture will introduce the philosophical underpinnings of different methodological

approaches in social sciences.

Recommended literature:

Jackson, Patrick Thaddeus (2011) The Conduct of Inquiry in International Relations. Philosophy

of science and its implications for the study of world politics. London and New York: Routledge.

Chaps. 1 and 2.

3. Qualitative explanatory methodology: Introduction to the first block (Zdeněk Ludvík) -

1. 3.

This session will be devoted to the introduction into qualitative explanatory methodology and the

most prominent qualitative methodological approaches.

First, the lecture will introduce the term of causality and explain the conditions of causal

relationships between the phenomena. Subsequently, the lecture will focus on the method of

correlation / co-variation, congruence, process tracing and comparative methods.


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Literature related to the assignment:

Ates, Altinordu (2010): The Politicization of Religion: Political Catholicism and Political Islam in

Comparative Perspective. Politics & Society, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 517–551.

Bakke, Kristin M. (2013): Copying and Learning from Outsiders? Assessing Diffusion from

Transnational Insurgents in the Chechen Wars. In: Checkel, Jeffrey (ed.): Transnational Dynamics

of Civil War. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 31–62.

Lee, Dong Sun – Kim, Sung Eun (2010): Ties That Bind? Assessing the Impact of Economic

Interdependence on East Asian Alliances. The East Asia Institute, Asia Security Initiative,

Working Paper No. 3, pp. 1–31.

Ripsman, Norrin M. – Levy, Jack S. (2007): The Preventive War that Never Happened: Britain,

France, and the Rise of Germany in the 1930s. Security Studies, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 32–67.

4. Casual case study (Zdeněk Ludvík) - 8. 3.

Based on the introduction to qualitative explanatory methodology, this lecture will present the

procedures of conducting an explanatory qualitative research. The students will be familiarized

with how to apply qualitative explanatory methods within casual case studies. Particular qualitative

explanatory research designs will be discussed and specific research proceedings will be identified,

described and reconstructed.


Blatter, Joachim – Blume, Till (2008): In Search of Co-variance, Causal Mechanisms or

Congruence? Towards a Plural Understanding of Case Studies. Swiss Political Science Review,

Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 315-335 only.

Baxter, Pamela – Jack, Susan (2008): Qualitative Case Study Methodology: Study Design and

Implementation for Novice Researchers. The Qualitative Report, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 544-559.

Flyvbjerg, Bent (2006): Five Misunderstandings about Case-Study Research. Qualitative Inquiry,

Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 219-245.


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Seawright, Jason – Gerring, John (2008): Case Selection Techniques in Case Study Research: A

Menu of Qualitative and Quantitative Options. Political Research Quarterly, Vol. 61, No. 2, pp.

294-308.

Van Evera, Stephen (1997): Guide to Methods for Students of Political Science. Ithaca, London:

Cornell University Press, pp. 7-88 only.

5. Causal Mechanisms – (Vít Střítecký) - 15.3.

The session will further inquire into causal explanatory frameworks by providing a detailed review

of the assignment I. This will allow to clarify all unclarities and further explain the specific features

of the causal research strategies. By the end of the session the assignment II will be introduced.

Recommended literature (same as in the previous week)

Blatter, Joachim – Blume, Till (2008): In Search of Co-variance, Causal Mechanisms or

Congruence? Towards a Plural Understanding of Case Studies. Swiss Political Science Review,

Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 315-335 only.

Baxter, Pamela – Jack, Susan (2008): Qualitative Case Study Methodology: Study Design and

Implementation for Novice Researchers. The Qualitative Report, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 544-559.

Seawright, Jason – Gerring, John (2008): Case Selection Techniques in Case Study Research: A

Menu of Qualitative and Quantitative Options. Political Research Quarterly, Vol. 61, No. 2, pp.

294-308.

Flyvbjerg, Bent (2006): Five Misunderstandings about Case-Study Research. Qualitative Inquiry,

Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 219-245.

Van Evera, Stephen (1997): Guide to Methods for Students of Political Science. Ithaca, London:

Cornell University Press, pp. 7-88 only


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6. Applying causality (Vít Střítecký) - 22.3.

Causality mechanisms can be observed in various empirical contexts. The session will introduce

some of the classical applications while providing a reflection of the applicability, limits and other

potential pitfalls of the methodology.

Recommended literature

Ross, L. Michael (2004): How Do Natural Resources Influence Civil War? Evidence from Thirteen

Cases, International Organization, Vol. 58, No. 1 (Winter, 2004), pp. 35-67

Fortna, P., Virginia (2004): Interstate Peacekeeping: Causal Mechanisms and Empirical Effects,

World Politics, Vol. 56, No. 4 (Jul., 2004), pp. 481-519

Mwita, Chacha, Stojek Szymon (2019): Colonial ties and civil conflict

intervention: Clarifying the causal mechanisms, Conflict Management and Peace Science, 36 (1)

Checkel, T., Jeffrey (2006): Tracing Causal Mechanisms, International Studies Review, Volume

8, Issue 2, June 2006, Pages 362–370.

Arista Maria Cirtautas & Frank Schimmelfennig (2010): Europeanisation

Before and After Accession: Conditionality, Legacies and Compliance, Europe-Asia Studies, 62:3,

421-441.

7. Interpretive Thinking: Introduction to the Second Bloc (Ondřej Ditrych) - 29.3.

This lecture will discuss the foundations of interpretive social sciences.


Schwartz-Shea, Peregrine, and Dvora Yanow. 2012. Interpretive Research Design: Concepts and

Processes. New York; London: Routledge. Chapter 2.

Yanow, Dvora. 2006. ‘Neither Rigorous Nor Objective? Interrogating Criteria for Knowledge

Claims in Interpretive Science’. In Interpretation and Method: Empirical Research Methods and


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the Interpretive Turn, edited by Dvora Yanow and Peregrine Schwartz-Shea, 67–88. New York:

M. E. Sharpe.

Aradau, Claudia and Jef Huysmans. 2013. Critical Methods in International Relations: The Politics

of Techniques, Devices and Acts. European Journal of International Relations 20(3): 2014.

8. Easter Monday – 5.4.

9. Data & Interviews (Sarah Komasová) - 12.4.

This session will introduce and differentiate between traditional principles of data collection in

qualitative research. Fundamental challenges of these approaches (questions posing in regard to

their comprehensibility as well as following data commensurability) will be tackled. Basic

principles of questions preparation will be introduced.


Foddy, William. 1993. Constructing Questions for Interviews and Questionnaires: Theory and

practice in Social Research. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 3 (25-37) and

Chapter 4 (pp. 38-51).

10. Content and Thematic analysis (Sarah Komasová) - 19.4.

This session will introduce two cornerstone and also simplest methods of qualitative data

treatment. Their comprehension will also serve as a necessary preliminary step to the following

lecture, which will deal with the problematic of discourse analysis. These approaches are

nevertheless very useful themselves and might be used as a good methodological grounding for

dissertation.


Schreier, M. (2012). Qualitative Content Analysis in Practice. London: Sage. Chapter 1 (only pp.1-

9) and Chapter 4 (pp.58-79).


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Boyatzis, R. E. (1998). Transforming Qualitative Information: Thematic Analysis and Code

Development. Thousand Oaks: Sage. Chapter 1 (only 1-16 until section Latent Versus Manifest

Content Analysis) and Chapter 4 (29-53).

11. Discourse Analysis (Sarah Komasová) - 26.4.

This lecture will introduce the fundamentals of the rich and diverse group of discourse analyses.

The students should get deeper understanding of interpretative research and get some basic

knowledge of the ways in which various types of discourses (textual, visual,…) could be studied

in the area of international politics. By the end of this session the assignment III will be introduced.


Milliken, Jennifer (1998) The Study of Discourse in IR: A Critique of Research and Methods.

European Journal of IR, 5,2,

van Dijk, Teun (1993) Principles of Critical Discourse Analysis, Discourse and Society

Neumann, Iver B. (2008) ‘Discourse analysis’, in Klotz, Audie and Deepa Prakash (eds.)

Qualitative methods in International Relations: A pluralist guide. New York: Palgrave Macmillan:

61-77

12. Visual analysis (Jakub Tesař) - 3.5.

Going beyond text-based approaches, this lecture will discuss visual methodologies in the study

of international politics and security. By the end of this session the assignment IV will be

introduced.


Bleiker, Roland. 2018. ‘Mapping Visual Global Politis.’ In Visual Global Politics, edited by

Roland Bleiker, 1–29. Abingdon; New York: Routledge.


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Schlag, Gabi. 2016. ‘Imagining Security: A Visual Methodology for Security Studies’. In

Transformations of Security Studies: Dialogues, Diversity and Discipline, edited by Gabi Schlag,

Julian Junk, and Christopher Daase, 173–89. London and New York: Routledge.

Robinson NT. 2014. Have you won the war on terror? Military videogames and the state of

American exceptionalism. Millennium - Journal of International Studies 43(2): 450-470

13. Studying Practices of International Politics (Ondřej Ditrych) - 10.5.

The lecture will introduce theoretical underpinning and the toolbox for the study of

nonrepresentational practices and the making of common sense in international politics. It will

situate explorations of these practices in the recent broader interest in micropolitical investigations.


Bueger, Christian. 2014. Pathways to Practice: Praxiography and International

Politics. European Political Science Review 6(3): 383-406.

Adler-Nissen, Rebecca and Vincent Pouliot. 2014. Power in Practice: Negotiating the

International Intervention in Libya. European Journal of International Relations 20(4): 889-911.

Solomon, Ty and Brent Steele. Micromoves in International Relations Theory. 2017. European

Journal of International Relations 23(2): 267-291.

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Further Bibliography

Babbie, E. (2007) The Practice of Social Research, Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth.

Burnham, Peter a kol. (2008): Research methods in politics. Houndmills – New York: Palgrave

Macmillan.

Collier, D. – J. Gerring (2009) Concepts and Method in Social Science: The Tradition of Giovanni

Sartori, New York: Routledge.

Cresswell, John W. (2003): Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method

approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Creswell, J. W. (2002) Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five

Traditions. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Drulák, Petr a kol. (2008) Jak zkoumat politiku. Kvalitativní metodologie v politologii a

mezinárodních vztazích. Praha: Portál

George, Alexander and Andrew Bennett (2005) Case Studies and Theory Development in the

Social Sciences, Cambridge: MIT Press.

Gerring, J. (2001) Social Science Methodology: A Criterial Framework, Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press.

Goertz, G. (2006) Social Science Concepts: A User’s Guide, Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Hendl, Jan (2006) Přehled statistických metod zpracování dat. Praha: Portál.

Hendl, Jan (2005) Kvalitativní výzkum: základní metody a aplikace. Praha: Portál

Hollis, Martin and Steve Smith (1991) Explaining and Understanding International Relations,

Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Johnson, Janet Buttolph - Reynolds, H. T. (2008) Political Science Research Methods.

Washington: CQ Press.


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King, G. – R. O. Keohane – S. Verba (1994) Designing Social Inquiry, Princeton: Princeton

University Press.

Mc Nabb, D.E. (2004) Research Methods for Political Science: Quantitative and Qualitative

Methods. London: Shape

Van Evera, Stephen (1997) Guide to Methods for Students of Political Science. Ithaca: Cornell

University Press.

researching international politics: qualitative methods · 2021. 2. 15. · charles university...

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