AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT
Department of Social & Behavioral Studies
SOAN 300: Graduate Research Methods
Dr Sari Hanafi
Associate Professor
Spring, 2008
42:00-6:30 W
Nicely 323
Phone: 01/350000, extension: 3823; Office: Nicely 201.
Office hours: TT 15:15 to 16:30 and open door policy
Sh41@aub.edu.lb
, http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~websbs/faculty/CVS/Hanafi_cv.htm
I. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 1
II. Objectives ........................................................................................................................................................... 2
III. Course Policies.................................................................................................................................................. 2
IV. Assessment ....................................................................................................................................................... 2
V. Format ................................................................................................................................................................ 2
VI. Topics and Readings ......................................................................................................................................... 3
1.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................................................... 3
Week 1: Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Week 2: Cultures of Inquiry ........................................................................................................................ 3
2.
RESEARCH STRATEGIES ........................................................................................................................ 4
Week 3: Empiricism: Data-Oriented Methods ............................................................................................ 4
Week 4: Hermeneutics ................................................................................................................................. 5
Week 5: Critical Theory .............................................................................................................................. 5
Week 6: Poststructuralism & Postmodernism ............................................................................................. 6
5.
SELECTED ISSUES ................................................................................................................................... 6
Week 7: Qualitative Vs. Quantitative Methods: Studying the Employability of Professionals in
Lebanon ................................................................................................................................................... 6
Week 8: Quantitative Research using SPSS ............................................................................................ 6
Week 9: Qualitative Methods: Pierre Bourdieu and Alain Touraine ....................................................... 7
Week 10: Research Methods, Ethics and Commitment ............................................................................. 7
Week 11: On Unobtrusive Research .......................................................................................................... 7
Week 12: Feminism & Methodology......................................................................................................... 8
Week 13: Case Studies ............................................................................................................................... 9
Week 14: Case Studies .............................................................................................................................. 9
The seminar is intended as an exploration into the cultures of inquiry in social research. Its scope falls in four dimensions. First, it provides an overview of the nature of discovery and exploration in the social sciences, the interplay between theory and research and the roles of serendipity and reflexivity.
Second, major research

strategies – empiricism, hermeneutics, critical theory and poststructionalism and postmodernity – are elucidated. Third, special issues such as advanced social research analysis (using SPSS), survey by questionnaire, unobtrusive research, participatory-action research and doing research on sensitive topics are explored. Finally particular case studies are analyzed by way of validating various research strategies.
On completion of this subject, students will:
 be knowledgeable about strategies and techniques that are available at different stages of the research process
 be aware of choices and constraints in relation to different types of research design
 view research as a creative problem solving activity
 be aware of ethical considerations in research
 demonstrate knowledge and skills that will enable you to carry out research
 be able to evaluate the work of other researchers
 have at least a workable outline of a thesis proposal
1- You are strongly encouraged to participate in the discussion periods during classes and indeed beyond the classroom. It will make the classes more interesting and vibrant, and it helps in learning and understanding research methods.
2- You should have a sense of responsibility. Class attendance is required and assessed. Coming late is not permitted without a proper justification.
3- It is strictly prohibited to use or to show mobile during the course.
1.
20% Class Attendance and Participation
2. 35% Seminar Paper 1
3. 35% Seminar paper 2
4. 10% Designing questionnaire
1.
Close and critical readings of weekly assignments
2.
Class presentations in the form of a study group with other colleagues on topics of interest.
Presenting the reading does NOT mean summarizing these readings. Presenting the readings entails raising questions, counterarguments and connections to other theoretical issues, or comparisons with other places and times. The presentation should provide a basis for class discussions. Students will submit a copy of the questions and issues they prepared to their peers and to the instructor, in the beginning of class.
3.
Two seminar papers of 4000 words, to be submitted within two weeks of the presentation, must follow normal standards of an essay with proper referencing, introduction, discussion and conclusion. You can take one or two points of your topic and develop it based in your readings. Papers are to be submitted exclusively through Moodle.
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“*” in front of the reading means is it not required readings for all the students. They are supplementary readings for the student who prepare the presentation and for those who are interested in the topic.
Discovery and Explanation in the Social Sciences
The Interplay between Theory and Research
Micro, Meso, Macro and Global Sociology
Surrender-and-Catch
On Serendipity
Readings:
1.
Mahajan, G., Exploration & Understanding in the Human Sciences (Oxford, 1992):
1-26.
2.
Mills, C.W., The Sociological Imagination (Oxford, 72): 195-226.
3.
Wolf, K.H., “Surrender-and-Catch” and Sociology. In Etzkowitz and Glassman
(ed.) The Renascence of Sociological Theory (Research, 1991): 201-224
* 4. Merton, R., Social Theory & Social Structure (Free Press, 1949): 85-117.
*5. Homans, G., The Nature of Social Science (Harcourt, 1967).
*6. Smelser, N.J., Problematics of Sociology (California, 1997).
*7. Merton, R. & E. Barber, The Travels & Adventures of Serendipity (Princeton
University Press, 2004).
The sources of Inquiry
Inductive/Deductive Modes of Inquiry
From Positivism to Postmodernity
Research Method as Historical Products
Living at a Historical Turning Point
The Crisis in the Foundation of Knowledge
Reflexive Methodology
Auto-ethnography
Writing as a Method of Inquiry
“Magic Formulae” (Bentz & Shapiro)
Intend to Learn (Jordan & Margret Paul)
Surrender & Catch (Wolff)
Conjectures & Refutations (Popper)
To the Things Themselves (Adorno, Obst)
On Redemption (Adorno)
Non attachment & Love: A boundless heart towards
All Beings (Buddhism)
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Readings:
1.
Ellis, C. & A.P. Bochver, “Autoethnography, Personal Narrative, Reflexivity” in
Denzin & Lincoln (eds.) Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Material (Sage,
2003): 199-258.
2. Richardson, L., “Writing: A Method of Inquiry” in Denzin & Lincoln Ibid: 499-54.
3. Wolff, K.W. “Surrender & Community Studies.” In Vidich, Bensnau & Stein
(eds.) Reflections on Community Studies (Harper & Row, 1964): 233-63.
*4. Alvesson, M. & Skoldberg, K., Reflexive Methodology (Sage, 2001): 1-11.
*5. Bentz, v. & Shapiro, J.J., Mindful Inquiry in Social Research (Sage, 1998): 15-57.
*6. Wolff, K.W. Transformation in the Writing: A Case of Surrender & Catch (Kluwer Academic, 1995).
Grounded Theory
Ethnomethodology
Ethnography
Readings:
1. Berg, B.L. “Ethnographic Field Strategies” Qualitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences (Allyn &
Bacon, 1998): 120-154.
2. Corbin, J., “Grounded Theory: Procedures, Canons and Evaluative Criteria.”
Qualitative Sociology (1990): 13, 3-21.
3. Glazer & Strauss. The Discovery of Grounded Theory (Aldine 1967).
4. Heritage, J.C “Ethnomethodology.” In Giddens & Turner (eds.) Social Theory
Today (Stanford University Press, 1982): 224-272.
5. Strauss & Corbin., “Grounded Theory Methodology: An Overview.: In Denzin &
Lincoln (ed.) The Handbook of Qualitative Research (Sage, 1994). Pp. 273-284.
*6. Dupret, Baudouin (2006) Le jugement en action: ethnomethodologie du droit, de la morale et de la justice en Egypte .Publication Geneve : Droz, 2006.
*7. Creswell, J.W. Research Design (Sage, 2003): 3-48.
*8. Denzin K. & Lincoln (eds.) The Landscape of Qualitative Research (Sage, 1998):
185-378.
*9. Holstein, J.A. & J.F. Gubrium “Phenomenology, Ethnomethodology, &
Interpretive Practice.” In Handbook of Qualitative Research (Sage, 1994): 262.
*10. Charmaz, K., “Grounded Theory: Objectivist and Constructivist Methods.”
Reprint.
*11. Baszanger, I & Dodier, N. “Ethnography.” Relating the Part to the whole.” In
Silverman, D. (ed.) Qualitative Research (Sage: 1997): 8-23.
* 12. Turner, Roy (ed.) Ethnomethodology (Penguin, 1974).
*13. Watseon, R. “Ethnomethodology & Textual Analysis.” In Silverman (ed.)
Qualitative Research (Sage, 1997): 80-98.
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Objective Hermeneutics
Interpretive Hermeneutics
Existential Hermeneutics
Hermeneutic Ethnography (Geertz)
Deep Hermeneutic (Heidegger & Gadamer)
Readings:
1.
Alversson, M., K. Skoldbery (ed.) Reflexive Methodology (Sage, 2001): 52-109.
2.
Bentz, V. & Shapiro, J. Mindful Inquiry in Social Research (Sage, 1998): 105-120.
3.
Denzin, N.K. “The Art & Politics of Interpretation.” In Denzin & Lincoln.
4.
The Handbook of Qualitative Research (Sage, 1994): 500-515.
*5. Bleicher, J. The Hermeneutic Imagination (Routledge, 1982).
6. Brady, I., “Anthropological Poetics.” In Denzin & Licoln. Op. Cit: 542-89.
*7. Bourdieu el at. The Craft of Sociology: Epistemological Preliminaries (Berlin: de Gruyter, 1991)
*8. Ricoeur, P. Hermeneuties and Human Sciences: Essays on Language (Cambridge
University Press, 1981).
The Frankfurt School
Horkheimer & Critical Theory
The economic analysis of post-liberal capitalism
The Socio-psychological investigation of social integration
The analysis of mass culture.
Habermas
Technocracy & the Coloniztion of the lifeworld
Communicative Action
Methodological Implications
Readings:
1.
Alversson, M., & K. Skoldberg (ed.) Reflexive Methodology (Sage, 2001): 110-147.
2.
Bentz, V & Shapiro, J.J., Mindful Inquiry in Social Research (Sage, 1998): 146-159.
3.
Honneth, A. “Critical Theory in Giddens & Turner, (eds.) In Social Theory
Today (Stanford, 1987): 347-382.
4.
Kincheloe, J.L. & P.L.McLaren. “Rethinking Critical Theory & Qualitative
Research.” In Denzin & Lincoln (eds.) Handbook of Qualitative Research (Sage, 1994): 138-157.
5. Best, S. & D. Keller. “Towards the Reconstruction of Critical Social Theory”. Postmodern Theory: Critical
Interrogations (Macmillan, 1991):
256-304
*6. Calhoun, C. Critical Social Theory: Culture, History & the Challenge of Difference
(Blackwell, 1995).
*7. Morrow, R. Critical Theory & Methodology (Sage, 1994).
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The Demise of Grand Narratives
Variants of Poststructuralism & Postmodernity
The Researcher as Author
Implications for Research
Readings:
1.
Agger, B. “Critical Theory, Postculturalism & Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance.” In Annual
Review of Sociology 17: 105-131.
2.
Alvesson, M. & K. Skoldberg (ed) “Post-structuralism and Postmodernism. Destabilizing Subject and
Text”.
Reflexive Methodology (Sage, 2001): 148-199.
3.
Bentz, V & Shapiro, J.J., “From Positivism to Postmodernity”. Mindful Inquiry in Social Research (Sage,
1998): 15-57.
4.
Best, S. D. Kellner. “Critical Theory and Postmodern Theory”. Postmodern Theory: Critical Interrogations
(Macmillan, 1991): 215-255.
*5. Dickens, D. & A. Fontana (eds.) Postmodernism & Social Inquiry (Guilford, 1994).
*6. Flax, J. Thinking Fragments (University of California, 1990).
*7. Giddens, A. “Structuralism, Poststructuralism & the Production of Culture.”
In Giddens & Turner, (ed.) Social Theory Today (Stanford, 1987):
*8. Rosenau, P. Postmodernism & the Social Sciences (Princeton, 1992).
I will propose the employability of professionals in Lebanon as research topic and provide research questions.
Students will elaborate appropriate research methods for that including designing questionnaire. Class will be divided into groups; each one composed of two students.
Readings
Babbie, Earl (2002) The Basics of Social Research (3d Edition)
Advanced knowledge of quantitative data analysis.
This session will use extensive worked examples to explain the major procedures in the SPSS package, with emphasis on practical issues of analyzing real data rather than dry discussions of statistics.
Readings
1.
Miller, Robert; Ciaran Acton; Deirdre A. Fullerton and Johen Maltby (2002) SPSS for Social Scientists .
Palgrave Macmillan.
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2.
Power point presentations (in Moodle)
Presentation of these two methods, discussion of the position of these two authors on representativeness, objectivity, status of data and epistemological rupture
1.
Hamel, Jacques (1998) "The positions of Pierre Bourdieu and Alain Touraine respecting the qualitative
Methods, the British Journal of Sociology".
2.
Bourdieu, Pierre et al. (1999) The weight of the world: social suffering in contemporary society . Pp. 3-
23 ; 607-27.
1.
Documentary Film: Pierre Bourdieu. Sociology is a Martial Art Directed by Pierre Carles, 2001. 146 minutes.
Readings
2.
Adorno (1980) The Autonomy of Art “Brian O’Connor (Ed.) The Adorno Reader . Pp. 239-263.
3.
Ghannam, Farha (2003) “Trajectories in the City: Reflections on fieldwork in Um-dunya”. Seteney Shami and Linda Herrara (Eds.) Between Field and Text: Emerging Voices in Egyptian Social Science
4.
Dubar, Claude (2006) Faire de la sociologie. Un parcours d’enquêtes . pp. 9-59; 161-210.
*6. Adorno, Notes on Literature, About the Commitment.
Justifications for Unobtrusive Methods
An Alternative to “Abstract Empiricism”
Found Data: Graffiti, Garbology
Captured Data: Signs, expressive movements, time related behavior
Physical location, still photography
Readings:
1. Berg, B.L. Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences (Allyns & Bacon,
1998): 177-195.
2. Denzin, N. The Research Act (Mcgraw-Hill, 1978): 256-88
3. Denzin, N. (ed.) Sociological Methods (McGraw-Hill, 1978): 322-342.
4. Esterberg, K.G. Qualitative Social Research (McGraw-Hill, 2002): 115-134.
5. Lee, R.M., Unobtrusive Methods in Social Research (Open University Press,
2000): 1-16.
6. Rossi, A.S., “Naming Children in Middle Class Families,” American Sociological
Review (1965): 30, 499-513.
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7. Synott, A., “Shame & Glory: A Sociology of Hair,” British Journal of Sociology
(1987), 38: 381-413.
8. Lieberson, S. & Bell, E.O., “Children’s first names: an empirical test of social taste,” American Journal of Sociology (1992)”98:511-54.
*9. Gialdini, R & Baumaun, D.J., “Littering: a new unobtrusive measure of attitude,”
Social Psychological Quarterly (1981): 44-254-9.
*10. Webb, E.J. etall., Unobtrusive Measures: Nonreactive Research in the Social
Sciences (Rand McNally, 1981).
*11. Williansom, J., Decoding Advertisements: Ideology & Meaning in Advertising
(Martin Boyars, 1978).
*12. Sechrest, L. (ed.) Unobtrusive Measurement Today (Jossey-Bass, 1979).
*13. Prosser, J. (ed.) Image-based Research: A Sourcebook of Qualitative Research
(Falmer, 1998)
*14. Goldman, R. Reading Ads Socially (Routledge, 1992).
*15. Appadurai, A., The Social Life of Things: Commodities in Cultural Perspectives
(Cambridge, 1986).
*16. Kellehear, A., The Unobtrusive Researcher: A Guide to Methods (Allen & Unwin,
1993).
The Absence & Invisibility of Women
Models of Feminists Research
Socialist/Marxist
Radical Feminist
Liberal Feminism
Postmodernism
Issues in Qualitative Research
Readings
1. Brunskell, H. “Feminist Methodology.” In Clive Seale (ed.) Researching Society &
Culture (Sage, 1999): 37-47.
2. Collins, P.H. “Transforming the Inner Circle: Dorothy Smith’s Challenge to
Sociological Theory.” Sociological Theory, 10, (1992): 73-80.
3. Flax, J. “Postmodernism & Gender Relations in Feminist Theory.” Signs, 14
(1987): 621-643.
4. Harding, Sandra (ed.) Feminism and Methodology: Social Science Issues.
Chaps. by Harding, Smith & Harding (Indiana University Press, 1987). Pp.-14; 84-96; 181-190.
5. Smith, Dorothy (1992) “Sociology From Women’s Experience: A Reaffirmation.”
Sociological Theory 10: 88-98.
6. Smith, Dorothy. The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Sociology.
(Boston: Northeastern Press, 1987).
*7. Clough, P.T. “Response to Smith.” Sociological Quarterly 34, (1993): 193-194
*8. Abou-Lughod, L. “Can There be a Feminist Ethnography?” Women & Performance, 5, (1990): 7-27.
* 9. Young, Iris Marion. “Humanism, Gynocentrism & Feminist Politics.” In Throwing
Like a Girl and other Essays in Feminist Philosophy and Social Theory. (Indiana
University Press 1990).
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