Krause Qualitative Methods

8/3/2019 Krause Qualitative Methods

1/7

Qualitative Research Methods

Department of Public Policy, Central European University

Fall Term 2006

Instructor: Alexandra Krause ([email protected])

Course Format: seminars

Credits: 2

Time: Wednesdays, 9.00-10.40 a.m.

Course Description

The aim is to introduce students to qualitative research methods. To this end, the course will

(a) familiarise students with the core theoretical assumptions underlying qualitative research

as compared with quantitative research, (b) introduce them to qualitative research techniques

useful for policy research, and (c) provide an understanding of how to develop an appropriate

qualitative research design. The following research techniques will be discussed in more

detail: the case study method, elite interviewing, the document analysis method, and

comparative methods. In addition, students will be introduced to the mixed methods approach

linking qualitative and quantitative research.

Course Requirements

Participants are expected to actively participate in all seminars.

Each participant will prepare two presentations (15 min each). The presentations

should introduce the assigned mandatory readings and present four theses that will be

discussed in class. Participants will have to write a final exam.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


2/7

Evaluation:

In Class Participation: 25%

Presentations: 15% each

Final Exam: 45%

Topics and readings:

(1) Introduction to qualitative research

Required readings:

Babbie, Earl: The practice of social research, 10th edition, Wadsworth Thomson Learning,

Belmont, California 2004, chapter 1: Human inquiry and science, pp. 16-40.

Bryman, Alan: Quantity and quality in social research, Unwin Hyman, London 1988, chapter

5: The debate about quantitative and qualitative research, pp. 93-126.

Further reading:

Keohane, Robert O./King, Gary/Verba, Sidney: Designing social inquiry Scientific

inference in qualitative research, Princeton University Press, Princeton 1994, chapter 1:

The science in social science, pp. 3-33.

(2) The diversity of qualitative research

Required readings:

Guba, Egon G./Lincoln, Yvonna S.: Competing paradigms in qualitative research, in: Denzin,

Norman K./Lincoln, Yvonna S. (eds.): The landscape of qualitative research. Theories and

issues, 2nd

edition, Sage, London et al. 2003, pp. 195-220.


3/7

Silverman, David: Interpreting qualitative data. Methods for analysing talk, text and

interaction, Sage, London et al. 1993, chapter 2: The logic of qualitative methodology, pp.

20-29.

Further reading:

Kincheloe, Joe L., McLaren, Peter L.: Rethinking critical theory and qualitative research, in:

Denzin, Norman K./ Lincoln, Yvonna, S. (eds.): The landscape of qualitative research.

Theories and issues, 2nd edition, Sage, London et al. 2003, pp. 260-299.

Olesen, Virginia: Feminisms and models of qualitative research, in: Denzin, Norman K./

Lincoln, Yvonna S. (eds.): The landscape of qualitative research. Theories and issues, 2 nd

edition, Sage, London et al. 2003, pp. 300-332.

(3) Main concepts thick descriptions

Required readings:



descriptive inference, pp. 34-74.

Denzin, Norman K.: Interpretive interactionism, 2nd edition, Sage, London et al. 2001, chapter

6: Thick description, pp. 98-118.

(4) Main concepts causal inference

Required readings:



Causality and causal inference, pp. 75-114.


4/7

Hollis, Martin/Smith, Steve: Explaining and Understanding International Relations,

Clarendon, Oxford 1990, chapter 3: Explaining, pp. 45-67.

(5) Main concepts interpreting and understanding

Required readings:

Gubrium, Jaber F./Holstein, James A.: Analyzing interpretive practice, in: Denzin, Norman

K./Lincoln, Yvonna S. (eds.): Strategies of qualitative inquiry, 2nd edition, Sage, London et

al. 2003, pp. 214-248.


Clarendon, Oxford 1990, chapter 4: Understanding, pp. 68-91.

Further reading:

Schwandt, Thomas A.: Constructivist, interpretivist approaches to human inquiry, in: Denzin,

Norman K./Lincoln, Yvonna S. (eds.): The landscape of qualitative research. Theories and

issues, 2nd edition, Sage, London et al. 2003, pp. 221-259.


Clarendon, Oxford 1990, chapter 9: Explaining and understanding, pp. 196-216.

(6) The case study method

Required readings:

Stake, Robert E.: Case studies, in: Denzin, Norman K./ Lincoln, Yvonna S. (eds.): Strategies

of qualitative inquiry, 2nd edition, Sage, London et al. 2003, pp. 134-164.

Yin, Robert K., Campbell, Donald T.: Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Sage,

London et al. 1994, chapter 2: Designing case studies, pp. 18-53.


5/7

Further reading:


interaction, Sage, London et al. 1993, chapter 8: Selecting a case, pp. 102-112.



increasing the number of observations, pp. 208-230.

(7) The qualitative interview method

Required readings:

Fontana, Andrea/Frey, James H.: Interviewing. The art of science, in: Denzin, Norman

K./Lincoln, Yvonna S. (eds.): Collecting and interpreting qualitative materials, 2nd edition,

Sage, London et al. 2003, pp. 47-78.

Miller, Jody/Glassner, Barry: The 'inside' and the 'outside'. Finding realities in interviews, in:

Silverman, David (ed.): Qualitative research. Theory, method and practice, Sage, London

et al. 1997, pp. 99-112.

Further reading:

Kvale, Steinar: Interviews. An introduction to qualitative research interviewing, Sage, London

et al. 1996.


interaction, Sage, London et al. 1993, chapter 5: Interview data, pp. 90-114.

Johnson, Graham I./Briggs, Pamela: Question-asking and verbal protocol techniques, in:

Cassell, Catherine/Symon, Gillian (eds.): Qualitative methods in organizational research. A

practical guide, Sage, London et al. 1994, pp. 55-71.

Holstein, James A./ Gubrium, Jaber F.: Active interviewing, in: Silverman, David (ed.):

Qualitative research. Theory, method and practice, Sage, London et al. 1997, pp. 130-143.

(8) The document analysis method


6/7

Required readings:

Holder, Ian: The interpretation of documents and material culture, in: Denzin, Norman

K./Lincoln, Yvonna S. (eds.): Collecting and interpreting qualitative materials, 2nd edition,

Sage, London et al. 2003, pp.110-129.

Atkinson, Paul/Coffey, Amanda: Analysing documentary realities, in: Silverman, David (ed.):

Qualitative research. Theory, method and practice, Sage, London et al. 1997, pp. 45-62.

Further reading:


interaction, Sage, London et al. 1993, chapter 4: Texts, pp. 59-89.

Popping, Roel: Computer-assisted text analysis, Sage, London et al. 2000.

(9) Comparative qualitative research designs

Required readings:

Dogan, Mattei/Pelassy, Dominique: How to compare nations. Strategies in comparative

politics, Chatham, Chatham House Publishers, New Jersey 1984, Part I: The compass of

the comparativist, pp. 3-37.

Landman, Todd: Issues and methods in comparative politics, Routledge, London et al. 2003,

chapter 1: Why compare countries? pp. 3-22.

Further reading:

Landman, Todd: Issues and methods in comparative politics, Routledge, London et al. 2003,

chapter 3: Choosing countries and problems of comparison, pp. 39-60.

Peters, Guy B.: Comparative politics. Theory and methods, Houndsmills, Basingstoke:

Macmillian Press 1998, chapter 3: The number of cases, pp. 58-79.


7/7

Documents

Krause Qualitative Methods