SubjectsSubjects(version: 945)
Course, academic year 2016/2017
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Comparative Analysis in Social and Political Research. - JMMZ049
Title: Comparative Analysis in Social and Political Research.
Guaranteed by: Department of Russian and East European Studies (23-KRVS)
Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
Actual: from 2014 to 2018
Semester: summer
E-Credits: 6
Examination process: summer s.:combined
Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/2, Ex [HT]
Capacity: unknown / unknown (unknown)
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Teaching methods: full-time
Teaching methods: full-time
Explanation: The course is taught at UCL!!!
Additional information: http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/prospect/MACourseGuide.pdf
Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan
enabled for web enrollment
priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
Guarantor: Seán Hanley, PhD.
Examination dates   Schedule   Noticeboard   
Annotation
Last update: VYKOUKAL (02.04.2012)
The course aims to give thorough grounding in techniques of comparative analysis in the
social and political sciences and how to use them. Sessions will cover: the relationship of
comparative methods to area studies; how we can gain general understandings of social
and political processes by comparing;; how to pick cases and apply ‘logics of
comparison’; how (and how not) to apply concepts ; the use of case studies; problems of
identifying cause and effect; large scale ‘variable-oriented’ comparison versus small scale
‘case-oriented’ comparisons; ‘configurative comparison’ including an introduction to
Charles Ragin’s Comparative Qualitative Analysis (QCA) approach.
Aim of the course
Last update: VYKOUKAL (02.04.2012)
Aims
The course aims to give students

• A broad understanding of how comparative analysis can be used in social and

political research.

• An understanding how to apply comparative methods in social and political

science anaysis

• An understanding of how the comparative analysis differs from other approaches

and what its strengths and weaknesses are.

Literature
Last update: VYKOUKAL (02.04.2012)

Jonathan Hopkin ‘Comparative methods’ in David Marsh and Gerry (eds) Theory and

Methods in Political Science (2nd edition) 2002

Todd Landman, Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics: An Introduction, 2008 (2nd edition)

B. Guy Peters, Comparative Politics: Theory and Methods,

Charles Ragin The Comparative Method, 1987.

Teaching methods
Last update: VYKOUKAL (02.04.2012)

Teaching and learning methods

Number of hours

Seminars 20 (10 X 2 hour seminar)

Private reading 120

Preparation of required written work 30

Revision 30

Requirements to the exam
Last update: VYKOUKAL (02.04.2012)
Assessment
1. Review essay of book and/articles: 2000 words (40%)

2. Comparative analysis assignment: 3000 words (60%)

Syllabus
Last update: VYKOUKAL (02.04.2012)

Each session will examine specific issues by examining a key works by comparativists

such as Barrington Moore or Theda Skocopol and/or a real-world issues to which

comparative analysis can applied,. such as, for example, democratization, state collapse

or the outbreak of revolution.

The goal of the course is to develop both a broad understanding of how comparative

analysis is used social and political research and practical abilities to apply it. As well as

examining classic comparative analyses students will therefore be asked to design and

carry out an appropriate-scale comparative analysis of their own on a topic of interest to

them.

The course is suitable for Masters and PhD students working in political science, political

economy, sociology, historical sociology or related areas.

 
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