Critical Social Inquiry 0204 - Doing Social Science: Methods in Qualitative Inquiry

This course interrogates the "how" of qualitative social science research, as we explore the practical, theoretical, and ethical questions that shape the ways qualitative researchers gather information to make claims about the world. We will build a toolbox for both understanding and conducting major methods in qualitative research with keen critical perspective, engaging questions of power, identity, play, and de/coloniality. Areas covered will include interviews, participant observation, auto-ethnography, qualitative surveys, oral history, qualitative mapping, participatory action research (PAR and CPAR), and research methods with children. In addition to readings and course discussions, students will complete field assignments and a final assignment in which they will test-drive and reflect on methods we study. For some students, the field assignments may work to support early thinking towards a Div III project, for others they may be broader and more exploratory Keywords:Interviewing, ethnography, oral history, research design, research methods

Students should expect to spend 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time