Introduction to Social Science

Instructors

Roberto ORSI / Chiaki SATO / Atsuo KISHIMOTO

Credits / Language / Semester

2Credits / English / Winter

Objectives/Overview

The course provides an overview of epistemological and methodological concepts, issues and techniques concerning the production of scientifically relevant knowledge in the domain of social sciences. It is designed and intended for an audience of post-graduate doctoral students coming from both quantitative and qualitative backgrounds, therefore including students of natural and applied sciences. It proceeds from the illustration of key basic concepts in defining research activities and production of knowledge, with particular reference to their historical evolution in philosophical debates, to the clarification of methodological choices for a number of social science disciplines, to the exploration of themes which are contingent to methodological questions, such as methodological pluralism and interdisciplinarity, ethics of scientific research and effective communication.

Keywords

Social Science Methodology, Social Science Epistemology, Research Methods

Schedule

Lecture 1: Introduction to the Course
Lecture 2: Science, Epistemology and Methodology
Lecture 3: Methodology of Social Sciences
Lecture 4: Stages of Social Science Research.
Lecture 5: Quantitative Methods Part 1 ? Quantitative Measurement
Lecture 6: Quantitative Methods Part 2 ? Quantitative Analysis
Lecture 7: Qualitative Methods
Lecture 9: Methodological Pluralism and Eclecticism
Lecture 10: Guest Speaker’s Lecture
Lecture 11: Guest Speaker’s Lecture
Lecture 11: Guest Speaker’s Lecture
Lecture 12: Social Science and Social Policy
Lecture 13: Ethics of Social Science Research
Lecture 14: Social Science and Effective Communication
Lecture 15: Wrap-up Lecture

Teaching Methods

Lecture, Discussion, Group Presentation by Students, Small Assignments, and Guest Speakers.

Grading

Assessment will be based on class participation, group presentation and a final report.

Required Textbooks

Gerring, J. Social Science Methodology. A Unified Framework, Second Edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Singh, K. Quantitative Social Research Methods. Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2007.
Packer, M. The Science of Qualitative Research, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.

Reference Books

Gerring, J. Social Science Methodology. A Unified Framework, Second Edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Singh, K. Quantitative Social Research Methods. Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2007.
Packer, M. The Science of Qualitative Research, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
(etc...) TBD

Related Resources

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