Browse Hierarchy INRL7012: Advanced Research in International Relations

This module examines the main approaches to the study of International Relations. This is not an entirely straightforward aim since social science is an essentially contested field; above all, methods of empirical investigation cannot be separated from assumptions about ontology (the nature of social reality) and epistemology (the nature and status of knowledge that we can have about this reality). The second half of the module then acquaints students with a variety of relevant research methods so that they can understand how evidence is produced and critically appraise the research they use. It includes discussion of documentary research, interviews and focus groups, discourse analysis, surveys and questionnaires, and quantitative methods.