Research Methods

GS MAJORS OR MINORS ONLY. Others by permission only. An introduction to research approaches that take into account the economic and political context of the production of culture, textual analysis and people's perceptions. Objectives are to examine the philosophy and epistemology of qualitative methods, to understand various approaches to qualitative research, to develop the skills to design a qualitative research project, to gather and analyze qualitative data, and to present the preliminary findings. For their final project, students produce a research design for their SYE and apply learned research strategies to their own research questions. The course emphasizes the importance of critical awareness of the practical, social and ethical issues that arise in doing cultural and social analysis and research in everyday settings.