Qualitative research methods – A primer for advanced students

zugl. Wahlpflichtmodul im Rahmen des REWI/IAB-Graduiertenkollegs

Outline

Qualitative methods are an indispensable part of advanced research in sociology and other disciplines. Especially in studies on unemployment, poverty, labour life and work organisation as well as in organisation and social policy studies, various techniques and methods are used to discover new facts and their connections, to support and validate interpretations of statistical correlations as well as to reconstruct patterns of social action. Although being bound to the same logical principles as science in general, their methodologies may widely deviate from those being applied in mathematical and statistical procedures, instead showing closer relations to text- or visual analysis like in history, linguistics and cultural anthropology. The course is meant to give an introduction into theory, methodology and application of qualitative research methods for participants from all academic disciplines. Being quite limited in hours, the module cannot replace a full level education in qualitative methods, but is meant to enhance the participants’ methodological knowledge, to enrich their own methodological decisions and to enable them to choose pathways for further in-depth studies in qualitative methods. The teaching course will in the first part mainly consist of lectures with discussion, aiming at an extended understanding of the theoretical backgrounds and methodological scope of qualitative methods. The second part is intended to help participants developing a reflexive practice in different hermeneutical methods of qualitative data collection and analysis. This part will focus on grounded theory, non-structured participant observation and narrative interviewing in data collection as well as documentary method and structural (‘objective’) hermeneutics in analysis. Both parts will include oral presentations and written contributions by the participants. Teaching language will be English, but literature body and research examples will require at least reading knowledge of German. Participants are encouraged to contribute own interview texts or observation records from their research, if possible, and should be prepared to do some limited own fieldwork between the sessions. There will also be examples from current IAB research on long-term unemployed persons in Germany. On request, it is possible to provide additional counselling on methodological questions related to the participants’ doctoral and master/magister theses. 

Participation

This teaching course is aimed at advanced students of sociology and other social sciences who want to enhance their knowledge in qualitative methods. Especially invited are participants in the IAB/REWI Graduate Program GradAB, as well as master/magister students from the IfS at the Philosophical Faculty of the FAU, but the course is open for participants from all faculties. Please register in any case with Sandra Huber sandra [dot] huber [at] iab [dot] de (mailto:sandra [dot] huber [at] iab [dot] de) until March 1st 2012, but additionally it is strongly recommended to observe your faculty’s registration duties, which may differ. Participation in part 1 is obligatory for all, in part 2 only for the IfS Erlangen Master students, but all others can participate voluntarily, in which case they are requested to continuously contribute to the courses research activities.  

Evaluation

All participants are required to give short oral presentations (15 min) on selected literature.  Participants from the IAB Graduate Program in need for a certificate are additionally required to deliver a short paper (3 pages) on their presentation. Participants from the master programme in sociology at Erlangen University additionally have to contribute a self-produced research document and a 20-30 pgs. paper. Positive evaluation generates 5 ECTS-credits. Participants in all other programs should check with their coordinators for acknowledgement and crediting.

Selected preparative readings

Bohnsack, R. (2008): Rekonstruktive Sozialforschung - Einführung in qualitative Methoden. Opladen/Farmington Hills, 7. überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage

Denzin, N./Lincoln, Y. (eds., 2007): The Handbook of Qualitative Research. 3rd ed., Vol. 1-3, New York (Sage).

Fielding, N. (2010): Elephants, gold standards and applied qualitative research. In:  Qualitative Research 2/2010: 123-127

Glaser, B./Strauss, A. (1999): The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Strategies for Qualitative Research. Hawthorne/NY, De Gruyter

Przyborski, A./Wohlrab-Sahr, M. (2009): Qualitative Sozialforschung. Ein Arbeitsbuch. München (Oldenbourg)

Soeffner, H-G. (1989):  Auslegung des Alltags – Der Alltag der Auslegung. Vol. 1: Zur wissenschaftlichen Konzeption einer sozialwissenschaftlichen Hermeneutik. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main 1989 (first edition) Vol.  2: Die Ordnung der Rituale. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main 1992 (first edition)

Soeffner, H.-G. (1996): The Order of Rituals, the Interpretation of Everyday Life, New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, Rutgers University, New Brunswick N.Y.

Soeffner, H.-G. (2004). "Understanding". Hermeneutics in the social sciences. In George Ritzer (Ed.), Encyclopedia of social theory, Vol. 2 (pp.864- 868).