Introduction to Sociological research II

Students will learn the key qualitative data collection and analysis methods (fieldwork, participant observation, qualitative interview, focus groups, grounded theory, discourse analysis, case study, archival data/documents, visual methods). They will learn the aims and logic of qualitative research approaches, their advantages and disadvantages and be able to use the most appropriate approach for a particular research problem. They will gain knowledge to plan and implement qualitative studies. They will learn the specific demands of a qualitative study (ethical dilemmas, a potentially high level of emotional stress, researcher as a measurement instrument, the level of involvement of the researcher in the studied community, relations in the field). They will acquire basic knowledge of comparative research.