2018-2019 / SPOL0100-1

Methodology of Political Science

Duration

15h Pr, 15h Lect.

Number of credits

 Extra courses intended for exchange students (Erasmus, ...)5 crédits 

Lecturer

Antonios Vlassis

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

- A skin, not a sweater: ontology and epistemology in Political science
- Behaviouralism
- Rational choice theory
- Institutionnalism and neo-institutionnalism
- Structuralism, marxism and neo-marxism
- Constructivism
- Post-modernism

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The course focuses on some methodological and theoretical issues in Political Science.
First, the aim is to analyse in historical and comparative perspective key theoretical approaches both in Political Science - such as behaviouralism, institutionalism and neo-institutionalism, rational choice theory, interpretive theory, structuralism - and in International Relations, such as realism, liberalism, neo-marxism and constructivism.
Second, the goal is to highlight how different theoretical perspectives deal with key methodological issues in Political Science.  
 

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Ex-cathedra course based on interaction with students

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

Recommended or required readings

Readings
David March and Gerry Stoker, Theory and Methods in Political Science, Palgrave Macmillan, 2002. 
Christopher Lamont, Research Methods in International Relations, London, SAGE Publication, 2015. 
Peter Hall and Rosemary Taylor, Political Science and the Three Institutionnalisms, Political Studies, XILV, 1996: 936-957. 
Stephen Walt, International Relations: One World, Many Theories, Foreign Policy, 1998: 29-45. 
Martha Finnemore and Kathryn Sikkink, The Constructivist Research Program in International Relations and Comparative Politics, American Review of Political Science, 2001: 391-416. 
Andrew Bennett and Colin Elman, Case study methods in the International Relations Subfield, Comparative Political Studies, 40(2), 2007: 179-195. 
 

Assessment methods and criteria

- Critical Article Reviews
 
 

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Tuesdays, 3pm-5pm

Contacts

Dr. Antonios Vlassis  avlassis@uliege.be