What does doing politics with words mean? Politics is about power, and power is constructed through language and discourse. You will critically interrogate the ways in which language is constructed by political actors, the motives behind these discursive constructions and the political realities and possibilities they create. You look at the latent meanings behind words and language and think critically about: Who is saying them? In what contexts are they saying them? And, for what purpose or to what ends are they saying them? You will learn and apply a range of qualitative research methods and techniques to help you answer these important questions including : interviews, focus groups, participant observation, thematic and discourse analysis. By providing you with a basic introduction to the use of qualitative research methods accessible to all you will be empowered to read, interpret and critically assess arguments and data, drawing on qualitative methods in political science and international relations.
Lecture 16, Seminar 16
Test Assessment Details: Short Answer Test, 5 x 100 words worth 30%.
Report. Assessment Details: 2,500 Words Qualitative Report worth 70%.
Reassessment Method: Like for Like
On successfully completing the module, students will be able to:
1) Identify and explain the logics underpinning the empirical research process.
2) Interpret key methodological concepts relevant to qualitative data analysis.
3) Select and evaluate methodological approaches appropriate to explore substantive research questions in the fields of politics and international relations.
4) Apply qualitative research techniques, interpret and code qualitative data.
5) Identify interpretive and normative approaches in qualitative research.
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