210138 SE M9: Osteuropastudien: Methodological Approaches to Comparative Area Studies (2024S)

The aim of the course is to provide students with a wide range of methodological tools and skills for carrying out independent research and for critically engaging with literature in comparative politics and area studies. Politics is an exciting sphere of human activity and we might be interested in understanding better the political dynamics of a specific country or area, but how do we translate this interest into good research questions that can advance already existing knowledge? How do we make sure our concepts make sense? What kind of research design one might need for answering a specific question and what methods can we use to extract from reality the right type of information to reach that answer? How can we distinguish strong from weak and uncorroborated arguments in the scientific papers or other literature?
The course will tackle these questions through an examination of different methodological approaches in comparative area studies, the field of research that combines profound area knowledge with comparative methods. Since the seminar is offered as a part of East European studies track, we will use mostly examples from the political science literature on Eastern Europe, but the emphasis will be heavily on understanding the methods used in the research papers and in critically analysing their strenghts and weaknesses. As the final exam, the students will be required to develop their own research proposal. The course is delivered in English and all the course requirements should be submitted in English.