This course offers an introduction to research methods in political science for students interested in qualitative approaches. It consists of a theoretical part and of an “illustration” part. In the theoretical part, the teacher will introduce research in social sciences, looking at the major paradigms of social research, the main investigative approaches (quantitative and qualitative) and the methods and techniques for qualitative research, to which the course is dedicated.

To illustrate the characteristics of the various methods, the course will then use practical examples taken from works of political scientists (mostly publications dedicated to China). In this way students will not only have the chance to familiarize themselves with various research methods, but also to enrich their knowledge on studies dedicated to China’s political and administrative phenomena. The course is open to all IN-EAST students and students in political science. Practical issues concerning the conduction of research in China (accessibility, language, reliability of information...) will also be addressed. There are no specific requirements for this course, except being able to understand English and write in English and course attendance. Although not compulsory, participation in the course allows the students to better grasp the proposed contents and interact with the teacher.