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UNIT |
THEME |
Subjects for Discussion |
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1 |
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In this introductory part of the course we will suggest seven different goals and three different strategies of political and social research. These distinctions will help us to shed light on the relations between research strategies and goals of research. In addition the comparative method will be discussed and distinguished from case studies on the one hand and quantitative studies on the other. Finally, the nature of the comparative method as a diversity-oriented approach will be emphasized and clarified. |
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2 |
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In this part of the course we will discuss various strategies of comparative research: First, Mill's distinction between two types of comparative research: The Method of Agreement and the Method of Difference; Second, Most similar and most different research designs |
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3 |
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Here we will suggest few strategies for the preparation of research proposal. With examples which aimed to answer the request for a seminar, MA and Phd.
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4 |
The Great Comprativists |
Here we will demonstrates how comparative research is so valuable and intellectually rewarding. We will become familiar with major works in the fields of comparative politics, comparative political economy and comparative public policy |
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5 |
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Types of cases, Cases for What?, Representative cases, Prototypical cases, deviant cases, crucial cases, archetypal cases, "casing" and the process of social inquiry. |
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6 |
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The need for concepts, Concepts and concept-formation, Conceptual stretching, the ladder of abstraction
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7 |
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Between macro and micro, between history and social science, types of comparative historical studies, common criticism, Some major works |
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8 |
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Durkheim's Variable-based comparative strategy Weber's Case-Based Comparative Strategies
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9 |
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Emil Durkheim vs. Max Weber (1) The character of scientific knowledge and its relation to values; (2) The appropriate range of data to be investigated by social scientists; (3) Classification in social science investigation; (4) The nature of social science explanation; and (5) Verification in social science. |
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10 |
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Selection bias, Too many variables, too few cases (Small-N, Big Conclusions), The levels of analysis, Galton's problem, the Black-box problem. The Goldthrope vs. Ragin Debate |
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11 |
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Methods of Knowing, Empiricism vs. Rationalism, Causality, Necessity, Sufficiency and Causal Complexity, Thick and Thin Descriptions
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12 |
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Basis of boolean algebra, the use of binary data, Trues Tables, The Boolean approach as the middle road, Applications of the boolean approach; evaluation of its success in the field of comparative politics |
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13 |
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Return to the basics, The dialogue between ideas and evidences in social science research
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