GIGA Training
17/11/2022 - 18/11/2022
What do we mean by ‘democracy’? What is ‘the state’, and how do states vary? What indicators should we use to measure ‘economic development’? Questions of concepts and measurement are central to social science research. This is especially true in qualitative research, which is premised on the need for careful description in building theoretical claims.
At the same time, social scientists routinely study entities and phenomena that we cannot easily see or readily measure. This session considers why concepts matter in social science research and provides an overview of different approaches to conceptualizing and measuring political phenomena. It introduces techniques to achieve conceptual rigor and innovation. It also emphasizes the need to be reflexive and responsive in our concepts both to position them within the existing literature and align them with local understandings and empirical realities.
Dates
The course will take place in person at the GIGA in Hamburg from 10am - 5pm on 17th and 18th November 2022 (hybrid option depending on demand).
About the trainer
Jody La Porte is the Gonticas Fellow in Politics & International Relations and Director of Studies for PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) at Lincoln College. Her research centres on the dynamics of politics and policymaking in non-democratic regimes, with a regional focus on post-Soviet Eurasia. She also publishes on topics related to qualitative and case study research methods.
*Please note that the registration period has closed.
GIGA Hamburg