PECOS4025 ¨C Analytic perspectives on peace and conflict

Course content

This class examines the fundamental principles of research methods and design in Political Science, as applied to the field of peace and conflict research. It prepares students to design and conduct an independent research paper of their own.

This class also equips students to assess the validity and reliability of published research in Political Science and to reflect on ethical challenges pertaining to research in the field of peace and conflict.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

Students will learn to:

1. apply the fundamental principles of research design and methods in Political Science
2. assess the validity of research design and findings
3. discuss ethical challenges in peace and conflict research

Skills

Students will develop the ability to:

1. identify and discuss different strategies for inference in political science research
2. distinguish between different kinds of research questions and strategies for inference
3. identify and tackle issues of bias in Political Science research
4. design and implement a research design in the field of peace and conflict studies

Competencies

Students will be able to:

1. create and improve a research design suited to answer their research question
2. think systematically about measurement, inferences, and explanation in Political Science research
3. engage in constructive assessment of research design choices and strategies for inference, especially in issue areas with limited or biased data
4. provide constructive feedback on research design to others and how to integrate such feedback into their own project

Admission to the course

The course is reserved for students enrolled in the master programme Peace and conflict studies.

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with PECOS4021 ¨C Research Methods (discontinued).

Teaching

Lectures and seminars

Compulsory activity:

• Attend three of five seminars
• Present draft of the term paper in one of the seminar sessions for discussion

Examination

Students will prepare one final paper on challenges to inference on a topic of their choice in the field of peace and conflict studies (3000-4000, words excluding references).

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Resitting an examination

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.