Research Methods in Master's Programme in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research.

Attendance is compulsory to all Peace-students and absence need to be compensated.

Aim: This course introduces to students how to choose their research topic, frameworks and questions. It also offers an introduction to selected methodical approaches relevant in peace and conflict studies. Attendance at the course is compulsory for PEACE students. Course is available only for the Master’s degree students in PEACE programme.

Skills: After the course students are able to choose their own research topic and define relevant methods to his/her theme.

Course consists of three different parts:

1)      Introduction to research methods. Research Methods course starts with lecture series (6 h) by Marko Lehti

Mondays 4.3.2013-11.3.2013 at 12-15 (Tapri seminar room 126)

The key topics such as what is required to transform from consumer of knowledge as producer of knowledge and how to choose research topic and to find relevant methodologies will be discussed during the course. Principles of multi- and intra-disciplinary approaches will be discussed during the course.

2)      Methods of peace & conflict studies. Seminar, monitored discussions, students’ presentations. Seminars are given by various lecturers with different themes.

Students will prepare presentation on the basis of selected articles/chapters. Selected methodological questions will be discussed in the classroom on the basis of presentation and discussion which are monitored by the teacher.

 Timetable for seminar (Tapri seminar room 126):

Fri 22.3 at 10-13 Bruno Lefort

Mon 25.3 at 12-15 Genevieve Souillac: "Ethics and Politics: Theoretical Approaches"

Fri 5.4 at 10-13 Benedikt  Schoenborn: "Sources and methods in historical research"

Fri 12.4. at 10-13 Teemu Palosaari: "Constructivism and Foreign Policy Analysis"

Fri 19.4 at 10-13 Alina Curticapean

Tue 23.4 at 10-13 Helena Rytövuori-Apunen: "Speech Acts and (con)textual interpretation"

Fri 26.4 at 10-13 Tuomo Melasuo

Tue 30.4 at 10-13 Eeva Puumala and Anitta Kynsilehto

Fri 3.5 at 10-13 Frank Möller

3)      Intensive beginning of thesis seminar. Students will write research plan for their master thesis. The plans should include introduction to the theme, overview to previous research, selected list of literature and suggested theoretical framework, methodology and research questions. Research plans will be discussed and commented in the classroom. Timing mid-May