Foundations of Qualitative Political Analysis

Students understand basic terms of political science

Students have basic knowledge about social research methods

The course consist of two parts. The lecture/conversation module is instructor presentation and group discussion based on the assigned reading. The workshop module is devoted to qualitative content analysis with use of Maxqda software and results in students' own analysis and its in-class presentation.

LECTURES + GROUP DISCUSSION MODULE

1) Assumptions of qualitative research 1: social phenomena vs variables; specificity vs generalisation

Reading:

• Merriam, B., & E. Tisdell. (2016). What is qualitative research? In: Qualitative Research : A Guide to Design and Implementation (pp. 5-21 only)

2) Assumptions of qualitative research 2: understanding vs explaining; subjective vs objective perspective

Reading:

• Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design. Choosing Among Five Approaches (pp. 35-41 only)

3) Assumptions of qualitative research 3: small q studies vs large Q studies - positivist and antipositivist approach in qualitative research; inductive vs deductive approach

Reading:

• McNabb, D. E. (2010). Research Methods for Political Science: quantitative and qualitative approaches. Routledge (pp. 225-232 only)

4) What is a research problem? What makes a question a good research question for qualitative study? Research problems and typical perspectives in qualitative research. The role of context in understanding phenomena

Reading:

• Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design. Choosing Among Five Approaches, Chapter 6

5) Single case study. Spaces, places and political events as objects of political research. Observation and participatory methods

Reading:

• McNabb, D. E. (2010). Research Methods for Political Science: quantitative and qualitative approaches. Routledge, Chapter 17

• Jahoda, M., Lazarsfeld, P. F., & Zeisel, H. (2017). Marienthal: The sociography of an unemployed community. Routledge. Please skim intro pp 1-10, pp. 36-39, pp 45+, pp 52-55.

6) Research ethics. Power asymmetry in research project. Informed consent. Data management and protection. Anonymity

Reading:

• Babbie, E. (2010). The Basics of Social Research (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth), Chapter 3

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

Reading:

• Entries “Interviewing” (pp.470-472), “Structured Interview” (pp.837-838), “Unstructured Interview” (p 907), “In-depth Interview” (p. 422) In: The Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods, Give, L. (ed.), Sage 2008.

8) Non-comparative small N studies. People and their political attitudes as objects of political research. Sampling for qualitative research. Focus groups

Reading:

• Babbie, E. (2010). The Basics of Social Research (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth), on sampling and on interviewing, pp. 206-210 & 339-344

9) Content analysis in practice: what gets coded, how to code, first and second cycle coding

Reading:

• Schreier, M. (2012). Qualitative content analysis in practice. Sage publications, pp 106-125

• McNabb, D. E. (2010). Research Methods for Political Science: quantitative and qualitative approaches. Routledge, Chapter 21

10) Media analysis and political communication as objects of political research

Reading:

• Schreier, M. (2012). Qualitative content analysis in practice. Sage publications, pp .1-20.

11) Political communication and discourse as objects of political research 2. Discourse analysis. Text sampling for discourse analysis

• M. Reisgl, The Discourse-Historical Approach. In: The Routledge Handbook of Critical Discourse Studies, J. Flowerdew, J. Richardson (eds.)

12) Comparative small N studies. Institutions as objects of political research. Triangulation and mixed methods

This topic builds on the theme of comparative studies you had in the course “Introduction to political research” It’s recommended to go through Haperin’s chapter 9 you’ve read for that course

13) Legislative and legal analysis for political science

Reading:

• McConville, M. (2007). Research methods for law (Vol. 104). W. H. Chui (Ed.). Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, Chapter 1 Qualitative Legal Research

WORKSHOP MODULE

Reading: selected parts of: J. Saldana (2013), Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers

1)

Designing own research project: content/thematic analysis of political text

2)

Retrieving, sampling, organizing text for analysis

3)

Deductive coding. Content analysis

4)

Inductive coding. 1st cycle coding. Coding procedures. Memos

5)

1st cycle of coding. Developing codes. Constructive and reflexive approach

6)

2nd cycle of coding. Developing themes/categories

7)

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

8) Presentations and discussion

• Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design. Choosing Among Five Approaches

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

The student is able to recognize the causes, course and forecast of phenomena related to the sphere of politics; is able to research and explain the role of social, economic and cultural structures in the modern world K_K01

• The student is able to indicate and explain the principles and values ​​of a democratic state and civil society; is able to assess the cultural achievements of man, with particular emphasis on political culture K_K02

• use basic theoretical approaches and use research methods and techniques to diagnose and forecast various phenomena in the area of ​​politics K_K03

• the student understands the nature and specificity of political sciences and their relations to other social sciences K_W01

• the student understands the political, economic and cultural structures and the changes taking place in them, with particular emphasis on the area of ​​the European Union and the region of Central and Eastern Europe K_U05,

• the student understands the principles of functioning of the political system of the country and its elements in the Polish, European and global dimensions K_U06,

• the student understands the essence of democracy, civil society and political culture from a historical and contemporary perspective K_U07,

• the student understands the trends in contemporary political thought and philosophy K_U08,

Requirements & Grading

1) Active attendance is required: please have no more than 3 absences in the semester (2 in case of a lecture, 1 in case of a workshop). Extra absences are cancelled after a talk during office hours (you need to read assigned reading and prove understanding)

2) Test around the meeting 13-15 mostly based on assigned readings (30% of the grade)

3) Report & presentation of own qualitative research (70% of the grade)

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