Бакалавриат
2025/2026
Научно-исследовательский семинар "Логика исследования и ключевые методы в международных отношениях и публичной политике"
Статус:
Курс обязательный (Международная программа «Международные отношения и глобальные исследования»)
Кто читает:
Факультет мировой экономики и мировой политики
Где читается:
Факультет мировой экономики и мировой политики
Когда читается:
2-й курс, 3, 4 модуль
Охват аудитории:
для своего кампуса
Язык:
английский
Кредиты:
3
Контактные часы:
32
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This research seminar aims to familiarize students with relevant approaches to and tools for academic research in International Relations and Public Policy Studies. The seminar focuses on major scholarly discussions on logics of inquiry and key research methods in the relevant fields. The course scrutinizes various methodological paradigms and methods used for research on specific topics. It encourages students to reflect on how they conceptualise and analyse issues pertinent to international relations and public policy. This involves exploring the relationship between theory and empirical research with particular emphasis on the collection/production and analysis of data. The research seminar considers practical methodological strategies that will aid students to design their own research (term papers) with a proper fit between research questions and methods. Moreover, the course will consider machine learning techniques that could be used for academic research on key issues in international relations and public policy, including decision trees, gradient boosting, neural networks, etc. The course will also offer ready-made AI tools, developed using machine learning methods and neural networks, to collect and analyse relevant literature.
Learning Objectives
- Familiarize students with a scientific logic in research in International Relations and Public Policy
- Introduce students to research methodologies used in International Relations and Public Policy
- Prepare students for writing a research paper, particularly conducting a comprehensive literature review
- Provide students with a toolbox of qualitative methods for analysis of political phenomena
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Acquainted with methodological approaches and interpretative methodologies applied in International Relations and Public Policy research
- Able to evaluate and select relevant literature for their research
- Able to analyze and critically read information from various types of (academic) literature for their research
- Able to approach and answer the research question with a comprehensive literature review
- Able to choose and critically assess methodological approach fitting research goals
- Able to reflect on how he/she conceptualizes and analyzes the phenomena in International Relations and Public Policy research
- Understand the scientific logic using qualitative methods for analysis of International Relations and Public Policy research
Course Contents
- Introductory class to research in IR and Public Policy
- Developments in philosophy of science and approaches in IR
- Familiarization with the notions of ontology, epistemology and methodology in IR and Public Policy
- Logic of Explanation
- Logic of Understanding
- Constructivist logic
- Logic of Interpretivism
- Logic of Critical Theory and Case Study
Assessment Elements
- Annotated bibliographyPresents a list of selected sources on the topic of a research project and contains a section of citations and annotations (at least 25), which summarize, assess, and reflect on the information of the source. The bibliography is submitted in week 8 printed.
- Concept mapIt is a visual representation of concepts identified for a research project and used in literature review, it demonstrates the hierarchy, connections, relations, etc. The map is accompanied by a short commentary with concepts definitions and a personal reflection on their appropriateness to research project. Definitions must be cited in APA citation style if they were extracted from the literature. The concept map is submitted in week 12 printed.
- Participation in classStudents are expected to participate in class group activities, actively engage in discussion of assigned readings.
- Research diaryThis is a document that contains records of the student demonstrating continuous and regular work on a research project, both in class and outside of class. It must contain reflective pieces of writings, homework assignments, and may have other evidence of individual work, such as questions, impressions, feelings in relation to the research project. The progress of the work is assessed by the teach during the semester. It can be submitted several times during the course for checking the progress.
- ExamOral presentation of key findings of term paper research (literature review) with a visualization in ppt and defense of major points. Contains justification of a research topic, theoretical approach, a choice of keywords, themes identified in academic literature, research question and a possible research design with methods.
Interim Assessment
- 2025/2026 4th module0.2 * Annotated bibliography + 0.2 * Concept map + 0.2 * Exam + 0.2 * Participation in class + 0.2 * Research diary
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Cairney, P. (2011). Understanding Public Policy : Theories and Issues. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Explaining and understanding international relations, Hollis, M., 2003
- Qualitative methods in international relations a pluralist guide ed. by Audie Klotz and Deepa Prakash. (2008).
- Resources and Applied Methods in International Relations edited by Guillaume Devin. (2018). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.495041637
- Resources and Applied Methods in International Relations, Guillaume Devin, 978-3-319-61979-8 Published: 18 October 2017, Palgrave Macmillan Cham
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Hill, M., & Varone, F. (2017). The Public Policy Process. Routledge.
- Qualitative methods in international relations : a pluralist guide, , 2009
- Resources and Applied Methods in International Relations, Guillaume Devin, The Sciences Po Series in International Relations and Political Economy, Palgrave Macmillan Cham, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018, 978-3-319-61979-8, published: 18 October 2017