2020-2021 / SPOL0100-1

Methodological issues in Political Science

Duration

15h Pr, 15h Lect.

Number of credits

 Extra courses intended for exchange students (Erasmus, ...) (Faculté de Droit, de Sciences politique et de Criminologie)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

- 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

The course will be taught entirely in English. Students will be required to read scientific articles, to write critical analysis note, to participate in class and to pass a written exam, all in English. Therefore advanced notions of English are required    

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Ex-cathedra course based on interaction with students

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

All the sessions will be taught onsite in a classroom setting.
Online viewing with live course instruction using the platform Lifesize following the existing course and module timetables. 

Organisational adjustments related to the current health context

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

Below you will find information on the evaluation methods planned for in-person and remote exams as well as those planned for hybrid sessions. Depending on how the health crisis evolves, the chosen method will be communicated to you no later than one month before the start of the exam session.

Any session :

- In-person

oral exam

- Remote

oral exam

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred remote


Additional information:

- Final exam and
- Article Reviews
 
** Due to Covid-19 reasons, possibility to organise online exam
 
 

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Thursdays, 11am-1pm

Contacts

Dr. Antonios Vlassis  avlassis@uliege.be