Introduction to Theory &

Methodsin Political Science

PoliticalScience
201

Academic Term: Fall 2009

Instructor: Sorpong
Peou,Ph.D.
Office Hours: Tuesday& Friday:9:00-10:30
am& Wed. 10-12(By appointment
only).Room10-530

Prerequisites: None

Course Description:
This introductorycoursehelpsstudentslearnaboutthe theoreticalapproaches to Political
Scienceand their methods(suchas quantitativeand qualitativetechniquesof how to
undertakeresearch projects).Thegoalis not only to he$ theminterpretoreality,'but also
to improvetheirmethodsof inquiryin thedisciplineof PoliticalScience.

Course Requirements:

1) ClassAttendance
andParticipation
Q0%)
2) Mid-tennexam:(0%)
3) Finalexam:(40%)

Week1:Introduction

Part I: Theoriesin Political Science

Week 2: Political Science:Ontology & Epistemology:

Getry Stoker and David Marsh, "lntroduction," in David Marsh and Gerry
Stoker(eds.),Theory and Methods in Political Science(Palgrave
Macmillan,2002)
David Marsh and PaulFurlong,"A Skin not a Sweater...,"h David Marsh and
Gerry Stoker (eds.),Theory and Methodsin Political Science

\ileek 3 : Behavioralism:

David Easton,o'TheFutureof the PostbehavioralPhasein Political Science,"h

Kristen Renwick Monroe (ed.), ContemporaryEmpirical Political Science
 (Califomia: University of California Press, 1997)
David Sanders,o'Behaviouralism"in David Marsh and Gerry Stoker (eds.),
Theoryand Methods in Political Science

Week4: Rational Choice:

HuShWard, o'RationalChoice," in David Marsh and Gerry Stoker(eds.),Theory

and Methods in Political Science
William Riker, o'TheFermentof the 1950sand the DevelopmentofRational
Choice Theory" in Kristen Renwick Monroe (ed.), Contemporary
Empirical Political Science

Week 5: Institutionalism:

Vivien Lowndes, "Institutionalism," h David Marsh and Gerry Stoker (eds.),

Theoryand Methods in Political Science
Mark Blyth, "Institutions Plus Ideas," in David Marsh and Gerry Stoker (eds.),
Theoryand Methods in Political Scienee

Week 6: Mamism & Feminism:

David Marsh, o'Mamism,"in David Marsh and Gerry Stoker (eds.),Theoryand

Methods in Political Science
Vicky Randall, "Feminism," in David Marsh and Gerry Stoker (eds.),Theory and
Methods in Political Science
Nancy Hartsock, "How Feminist ScholarshipCould ChangePolitical Science,"in
Kristen Renwick Monroe (ed.), ContemporaryEmpirical Political Science

Week 7: Interpretive and Nonnative Theory:

Mark Bevir and R. A. W. Rhodes,"InterpretativeTheory," in David Marsh and

Gerry Stoker(eds.),Theoryand Methodsin Political Science.
SteveBuckler, "Normative Theory," in David Marsh and Gerry Stoker (eds.),
Theoryand Methods in Political Science

Part II: ResearchMethodsin Political Science

Week 8: Preparingto Do ResearchI:

Jarol Manheim et aI.,o'TheResearchProcess,"in Empirical Political Analysis

oTheoryBuilding: Conceptsand Hlpothesesin Political
Res"atchj' in Empiricat Poltticit Analyiis, 5ft ed. (New York: Longman,
2002)
"Setting the Foundation:Techniquesof Systemic
Bibliographical Search,"rn Empirical Political Analysis
Week 9: Preparingto Do ResearchII:

Jarol Manheim et al., o'FromAbstract to Concrete:Operattonalaationand

Measurement,"n Empirical Political Analysis
., "'Workingfrom a Plan: Considerationsin ResearchDesign,"
rn Empirical Political Analysis
"'Who, What, Where, When: The ResearchProblemof
Sampling," in Empirical Political Analysis

Week 10: QuantitativeMethods:

PeterJohn, "Quantitative Methods," in David Marsh and Gerry Stoker (eds.),

Theoryand Methods in Political Science
Jarol Manheim et al., 'oSurveyResearch,"h Empirical Political Analysis
., 'oContentAnalysis," in Empirical Political Analysis

Fiona Devine, "Qualitative Methods," in David Marsh and Gerry Stoker(eds.),

Theoryand Methods in Political Science
Jarol Manheim et al., "Elite and Specialued,Interviewiog,"n Empirical Political
Analysis
., o'DirectObservation,'on Empirical Political Analysis
., o'FocusGroup Methodologies,"rn Empirical Political
Analysis

Week 12: Qualitative & QuantitativeMethods:

JarolManheim et a1.,Empirical Political Analysis,pp.313-319

Melvyn Readand David Marsh, o'Combiring Qualitative and Quantitative
Methods," h David Marsh and Gerry Stoker (eds.), Theoryand Methods
in Political Science

Week 13: CaseStudy& ComparativeMethods:

Stephenvan Evera,"What Are CaseStudies?"in his Guide to Methodsfor

Studentsof Political Science(Ithaca,NY: Cornell University Press,1997)
Robert Yin, CaseStudyResearch(London: Sage,1994)
JonathanHopkin, ooComparative Methods," in David Marsh and Gerry Stoker
(eds.),Theoryand Methodsin Political Science

Week L4: Conclusion: