Qualitative research methods

Prior to the course students have detailed knowledge on social research methods, understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative research methods as well as between positivist and anti-positivist approach.

Scope of the course: at the advanced level – the assumptions of qualitative methods of social research. Key issues: specificity of the qualitative research process; qualitative research tools; main research problems in qualitative research; qualitative text and image analysis; inductive ways of building theories. The significant part of the course is workshop with use of Maxqda program during which students conduct own research project mastering practical skills in qualitative content analysis.

1) Single case study. Spaces, places and political events as objects of political research. Case selection

2) Reading “Marienthal”: Case study in social policy

3) Non-comparative small N studies. People and their experiences as objects of political research. Individual in-depth interviews and focus groups

4) Interpretive approach in social and public policy

5) Biographical and narrative research methods

6) Media and political communication as objects of political research

7) Political discourse as object of political research

8) Content analysis: overview

9) Workshop 1 Designing own research project: qualitative content analysis of political text. Sampling and organizing text for analysis

10) Workshop 2 Inductive coding. 1st cycle coding. Coding procedures. Memos

11) Workshop 3 2nd cycle of coding. Developing themes/categories

12) Workshop 4 Text retrieval. From codes and memos to a research paper. Quoting, arguing, interpreting, synthesising

13) Workshop 5 Research projects’ presentations and discussion

14) Participatory research methods

15) Ethnography of public institutions

• Schreier, M. (2012). Qualitative content analysis in practice. Sage

• McNabb, D. E. (2010). Research Methods for Political Science: quantitative and qualitative approaches

• J. Saldana (2013), Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers

K_W02 Student knows at the advanced level - methods of collecting, analysing and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data used in the process of designing and analysing political processes P6S_WG

K_U01 Student knows how to design and carry out a complex social research project, especially focused on social diagnosis; select appropriate advanced tools and methods, including analytical ones, for research questions and collected data, and justify the choices made P6S_UW

K_U03 Student knows how to precisely identify the economic, social, economic and cultural determinants of specific social phenomena and apply approaches and theories in interpreting the relationships between phenomena P6S_UW

K_U06 Student knows how to prepare and present a written and oral presentation presenting a selected social problem, including a complex and unusual problem, and propose solutions to it and justify them P6S_UK

K_K02 Student is ready to plan and organize their work in the structures of larger teams - especially those carrying out complex research and implementation-focused tasks which operate in an international and intercultural context, and critically assess and take responsibility for the effects of this work, including for the social environment P6S_KO

K_K03 Student is ready to critically assess available information, including identification of disinformation, propaganda and hate speech in the public debate P6S_KK

1) Active attendance is required: please have no more than 3 absences in the semester (20% of the grade)

2) Qualitative research project and its oral presentation (80% of the grade)

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