Research Seminar

Raziskovalni seminar MO

Course credits:

10.00 ECTS / 60 (30 hours of lectures, 0 hours of exercises, 30 hours of seminars, 0 hours other forms of work)

Course holder:

prof. dr. Petra Roter

Type:

Required

Language:

English

Semester:

First semester

Study degree

2. level

Course execution:

• Postgraduate Programme of International Relations

Prerequisits:

Students are allowed to participate in the course provided that they have completed the enrolment procedure. The course logically follows the undergraduate course on Theories and Methodology of International Relations.

Objectives and competences

The goal of the Research Seminar is: to enable students for their independent and comprehensive understanding of the significance of theories for research of international relations; to familiarise students with an in-depth knowledge of theories of International Relations and to help them understand the meta-theoretical issues related with individual theories and research within the discipline of International Relations as such; to equip students to being able to apply these issues to their own research, as as well to select, independently and based on their competence of critical thinking, a relevant theoretical approach to analysing a concrete issue of international relations as relevant for the discipline of International Relations (i.e. a concrete research problem); to equip students to be able to prepare a comprehensive research plan for analysing a relevant issue within the discipline of International Relations. Competences, acquired by students: ability to detect and understand the significance of epistemological, ontological and methodological differences among theories; ability to select an appropriate theory (theoretical framework) for the analysis of a concrete research problem/question; ability to select the relevant methods within a given theoretical research framework and for a given research problem; ability of argumentation and conducting research within the discipline of International Relations; ability to prepare a comprehensive research plan (e.g. for a master thesis); competence to research the practice of international relations by taking into account the metatheoretical characteristics of individual theoretical approaches to studying international relations.

Content (Syllabus outline)

Philosophy of science. Nature and functions of theory. Researching international relations, within the discipline of International Relations. Theories of International Relations: positivist and critical (post-positivist), mainstream and new(er) theories. Metatheorical analysis of theories and their application to research of concrete issues, questions, practice. Methodology with methods: how to choose relevant methods for research guided by specific (concrete) research questions, in a specific theoretical context. Theoretical and methodological framework for studying international relations. Development of an own research plan.

Intended learning outcomes:

Student: knows theories of International Relations; is able to detect and understand the significance of metatheoretical differences among those theories; is able to select an appropriate theoretical framework for his/her own research of a concrete research problem/practice; knows different methods and is able to select the relevant one within his/her theoretical framework; is able to prepare independently an own research plan; is able to present and defend the research plan; is able to review research plans of others.

Learning and teaching methods:

Lectures, seminars and research seminars (presentation and analysis of the existing research projects), presentation and review of research plans.

Assessment

Academic essay (20 %), research (40 %), exam (research plan) (40 %).

Obligatory literature

Additional literature