CORER PSOM 11304 METHODOLOGY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES 4 credits
Course Outcomes (COs)
1. Understand the philosophical background, characteristics, and types of social research Know the paradigms of social research
2. Formulate problems and devise research questions, assess the significance of how questions are theorised
3. Gain familiarity with data sources (international, National and Regional) and understand how to use them to research a particular question
4. Conduct theory-driven, critical and real-world research 5. Understand the ways of linking sociological knowledge/literature in the formulation of the a research problem.
Module 1: Knowledge Production in Social Sciences
1.1. Historical roots: Enlightenment, reason and science. Philosophy of social sciences: Ontology, epistemology and hermeneutics. Issues in the theory of epistemology: Forms and types of knowledge, validation of knowledge. Cartesian philosophy, structure of scientific revolution (Kuhn).
1.2. Positivism and its critique: Contributions of Comte, Durkheim and Popper to positivism; Critique of positivism: Feyerabend and Giddens
1.3. Paradigms of research: positivist, Constructivist/interpretive, critical and feminist
Essential Reading: Martin Hollis. 2002. The Philosophy of Social Sciences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bryman Alan. 2008. Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Amin Samir. et al. 2009. Eurocentrism. NYU Press.
Ward Steven C. 2012. Neoliberalism and the Global Restructuring of Knowledge and Education. Routledge.
Module 2: Complexities of Social Reality
2.1 Nature of social reality, Binaries, Reflexivity, Theory-Research Duality, Sociological imagination, need for interdisciplinary approach.
2.2 Objectivity, Subjectivity and value debate.
2.3 Politics of knowledge production: Corporatization of knowledge, Eurocentrism.
2.4 Research Ethics: the concept, need, and significance.
Essential Reading:
Mills C. Wright. 1966. The Sociological Imagination. London: Oxford University Press.
Scott Greer. 1989. The Logic of Social Inquiry. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company.
Module 3: Logic of Inquiry
3.1 Inductive and Deductive approach
3.2 Scientific method, Distinction between Methods and Methodology
3.3 Criteria of research: Validity, reliability and representativeness 3.4 Critique of method and methodology.
Essential Reading:
Babbie Earl. 2004. The Practice of Social Research. New York:
Thomson and Wadsworth. Hammersley Martyn. 2011. Methodology: Who Needs? New Delhi: Sage.
David and Sutton. 2011. Social Research: An Introduction. New Delhi: Sage.
Module 4: Prelude to Social Research
4.1 Formulation of research problem-Steps- Selection of a domain or branch of research and detailed Literature survey, Identification of area, Recognizing topic, Formulation of research problem
4.2 Review of related literature – sources, methods, significance
4.3 Research questions, Research objectives, and Hypotheses: Scope & Significance
4.4 Conceptual and Theoretical framework
4.5 Research Design: case study, experimental, longitudinal, cross sectional and comparative. 4.6 Quantitative and qualitative methods as Research Strategies
Essential Reading: Punch Keith F. 2003. Survey Research - The Basics. London: Sage.
Creswell John. 2009. Research Design. New Delhi: Sage.
Bryman Alan. 2008. Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Suggested Readings: Arvind Kumar. 2003. Research Methodology in Social Research. New Delhi: Sarup and Sons.
Bailey Kenneth D. 1982. Methods in Social Research. New York: Macmillan.
Carol Grbich. 2000. New Approaches in Social Research. New Delhi: Sage.
Garner Mark, Wagner Claire & Kawulich Barbara (eds). 2009. Teaching Research Methods in Social Sciences. London: Ashgate Publishing.
Kerry E. Howell. 2013. The Philosophy of Methodology. New Delhi: Sage.
Malcolm William. 2003. Making Sense of Social Research. New Delhi: Sage. Ron Matson. 2005. The Spirit of Sociology. New Delhi: Pearson Education.
- Teacher: Dr. Shyju M K
- Teacher: Dr. Biju Vincent