This graduate seminar introduces students to the rapidly evolving field of qualitative and multimethod research. The seminar is designed to provide students with an overview of qualitative methods essential to political science research. In addition, we will consider a range of ways in which qualitative methods can be integrated with each other, as well as other research methodologies, such as field and natural experiments, formal models, and statistical modeling. Required readings cover classic texts, recent innovations, and applied examples.
Note that this means there is a lot of reading! Students are expected to become familiar with both the methodological ideas and their substantive application.
The overriding goal of the course is to provide students with the background necessary to use qualitative and multimethod techniques in their own original research. It will enable students to master core tools, understand basic problems, and explore advanced topics. Students should ultimately be able to apply these methods in writing a dissertation prospectus, grant proposal, or research paper.