Once a year, a semestral seminar is offered for both MA and PhD. students. Topics and lecturers alternate, and the methodology seminars are focused on diverse aspects of reseacrh into non-European cultures and inter-cultural communication.
2020/21
Current offer here.
Research methods for area studies
The OSGA oraginizes a seminar on „qualitative methods“ (winter term) and „quantitative methods“ (summer term).
The course focuses on:
- Gain an understanding of the inter-relationships between theory and research design and between theory and data collection and analysis.
- Gain a more informed and critical understanding of methodological approaches to the study of the region.
- Acquire a working, practical knowledge of key methodological tools
- Have a critical knowledge of social science debates on the relevance and utility of these methods to the study of the region.
- Improve the ability to critically evaluate academic scholarship and other texts produced from different disciplinary traditions or from inter-disciplinary approaches with reference to the region – so be able to better assess the robustness of the knowledge that others have produced.
- Improve skills in writing and in the presentation of information and argument.
- Develop awareness of the qualities of good research design and good research practice as preparation for MSc/MPhil thesis and for further advanced research on the region.