After the course, you will be able to:
- critically evaluate, using appropriate quality criteria, different methodological designs of empirical issues related to diversity/inequality, and offer meaningful suggestions for adaption of the designs to counter the observed flaws.
- understand the key arguments in current methodological debates surrounding issues of diversity/inequality, and position yourself in these debates based on (motivated) identification with one or more of these key arguments.
- independently select specific (combinations) of methods and techniques in the collection of empirical material that fit the research questions at hand, whether of an exploratory or confirmatory nature, and design appropriate research methodologies for applying these in the field.
- conduct, without supervision, basic analysis to empirical material obtained from the methods/techniques discussed in the course, and carry our more advanced types of analyses under expert guidance.
- clearly document and explain (both orally and in writing) the procedures and steps applied in the various stages of collecting and analysing empirical material (‘arc’ or ‘cycle’) in a terminology that is consistent with the course literature.
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The course offers an analytical background to, and ‘hands on’ experience with, a range of (mainly qualitative) advanced research methodologies relevant to achieve methodological triangulation in field research. Methodological triangulation is mostly essential to explain more fully, the richness and complexity of the diversity/inequality issues that are central to field research within anthropology and development studies. In addition, through various interactive sessions and workshop-type of sessions, the course prepares for constructing your own methodological framework for the field research that is an obligatory part of the Anthropology and Development Studies Master.
The course basically comprises three parts. After a short introduction, the first part of the course focuses on two advanced (qualitative) research methods: participatory appraisal and social network analysis, including organizational analysis. In the second part of the course, a variety of more advanced interview-techniques are offered (focus-group discussions and life- and oral history interviews) as well as framing analysis and a first introduction to E-research. In this part, students also learn to critically review and reflect upon methodological issues, such as research designs, operationalization, biases and sampling and analysis through a number of interactive seminars. The third part consists of three workshop-type of afternoon sessions, in which students develop the frame for the methodological design that makes up the bases for their own field research. As such, this part is closely linked to the MA course ‘Research Design’.
A more detailed program of the lectures and sessions, including the assignments, will be provided in the course guide, one week before the start of the course.
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During the course, you make various assignments. The course will be concluded with a review paper/essay.
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