Political Science Theories

Political Science Theories course content:

This lecture is designed for students who plan to undertake a major research project, in particular a master thesis, a doctoral thesis or a scientific article.
Participants are strongly encouraged to complement this lecture with a more technical course on the Field Research Method.

Objectives of the Political Science Theories course:

This lecture has two primary objectives:
1) to deepen the students’ critical thinking and personal reflections on the scientific process, theories and methods in political science;
2) and to acquire the necessary research and writing skills.

Prerequisites:

A good command of the French language is required. In addition, the course includes compulsory readings, and most of these texts are in English. Therefore, a good command of academic English is strongly recommended.

Teaching methods:

12 online courses of 1 hour and 30 minutes each, and compulsory readings. Indeed, before each session, students will be required to read one or two compulsory readings. Most of these texts will be academic articles or extracts from scientific books. These texts, read carefully and reflectively, will enable students to better grasp the elements presented in class.
The teaching language and evaluations are in French. For reasons that will be discussed during the course, however, most of the compulsory readings are in English. Additional readings in French are available if you have any difficulties understanding the English language.

Evaluation:

The final grade for the course will be based on commentary on the readings and a book review of 6000 to 7000 words (12-14 pages).
The “commentary on the readings” (minimum 500 words) should be sent by email before the class session during which compulsory readings (texts) will be discussed. This should never be an opportunity to present outlines, summaries or reports of readings. This commentary on the texts should clearly demonstrate student’s academic standpoint vis à vis central arguments of the authors and main issues surrounding the topic. Students are expected to comment on the texts by addressing two or three questions provided before the lecture.
The “book review” will provide an analysis on the influence of one book or up to three articles that have been published over the last two decades and have influenced the current epistemological, ontological, theoretical and methodological debates in Political Science. This essay shall review a book/a set of articles and consider them in the wider context of the author’s overall contribution (both in general, and more specifically to the discipline). These books/authors should have left their mark on the discipline and/or initiate a new debate in the discipline. The essay should:
1) Situate the ideas and contributions of the author in the wider context of their disciplinary and personal trajectory;
2) Summarise in a clear, concise and well structured manner the main arguments and findings of selected publications;
3) Show how these contributions have influenced (or are influencing) the evolution of the discipline of political science and what legacy they have left;
4) Put forward how the author’s arguments are used in recent research in political science with examples.
Participants are free to choose an author from a list suggested by the professor, and the best reviews will be published. A final grade (on a 20 point scale) will be awarded for both the commentary on the readings and book review. Therefore, the final grade will be composed as follows:
➢ commentary on the readings (20%);
➢ book review (80%).
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