General provisions

The course syllabus was established by the Board of the Faculty of Social Sciences on 24 January 2007. The course syllabus is decided by the Departmental Board of the Department of Peace and Conflict Research. The course syllabus was revised 15 August 2013 and is valid from that date.

The course is offered during the fall semester. It can be a part of the Bachelors' programmes in Politics (politices kandidatprogrammet), Social Sciences (samhällsvetarprogrammet), and Peace and Development Studies (kandidatprogrammet i freds- och utvecklingsstudier). The course is also open for students following self-contained courses.

Entry requirements

Peace and Conflict Studies A and B or the equivalent

Learning outcomes

After the course, students are expected to be able to:

1. explain and discuss central questions and theories on causes, development and resolution of armed conflicts
2. connect specific research questions to the overall research agenda in peace and conflict research
3. critically analyse and evaluate different research arguments with the use of a systematic framework
4. design and evaluate basic research designs by relating theory, methods and empirical data in a coherent way
5. independently gather, evaluate and compare information and scientific texts on armed conflicts
6. actively and independently take part in seminar discussions, conduct short presentations as well as act as discussant and defend an independent study
7. independently conduct theoretically driven empirical studies with a comparative component
8. discuss and reflect on weaknesses and strengths of different methodological approaches as well as problems related to causal and statistical inference
9. conduct and interpret studies of both qualitative and quantitative nature
10. independently solve assignments within allocated time

Content

The aim of the education is to enhance the students' skills and knowledge on theory and methods in peace and conflict research as well as further train the students' ability to independently conduct scientific studies. This includes to furthering the ability to connect specific research questions to the overall research agenda in peace and conflict.

The course consists of three modules.

Module 1. Methods (7.5 credits)

This course module focuses on research methods in peace and conflict research. It covers fundamental concepts at each stage of the research process: specifying a research question, developing a theory, operationalising theoretical constructs, constructing a research design, collecting data, analysing/interpreting data and reporting results. The overarching goal of the course is to give an overview of the particular challenges and techniques in conducting research related to the topics of peace and conflict. The course reviews both qualitative and quantitative approaches to peace and conflict research.

Module 2. Analysing arguments in conflict studies (7.5 credits)

The module provides a smorgasbord of theoretical approaches within peace and conflict research. Special emphasis is placed upon the connection between research questions, theory and empirics within a few central sub-fields. This includes training in how different methodological and analytical approaches can be used for the same research puzzle. In doing so, the module also focuses on the role and function of validity of theoretical claims in research debates within peace and conflict studies. As such, the students are also taught different criteria with which to evaluate validity of arguments, hypotheses, and theories as well as techniques of how to structure, summarise and present positions and arguments of a research debate.

Module 3. Bachelor's thesis (15 credits)

The module consists of the conduct and defence of a minor scientific study. The Bachelor's thesis should be written independently and the module also includes developing skills in critically appraising another Bachelor's thesis (in other words, act as discussant) as well as defending one's own thesis. Teaching is mainly done in small supervision groups.

Instruction

Teaching is done through lectures and seminars.

Assessment

Examination is conducted primarily through written assignments. The final module - Bachelor's thesis - is examined through a written independent thesis that is defended orally in a seminar as well as through being discussant on a fellow student's thesis. Students can choose if they want to do tests in Swedish or English.

Grades are Fail, Pass, and Pass with distinction. Grading criteria are handed out at the start of course modules. To acquire the grade Pass with distinction on the entire course, one needs to acquire Pass with distinction on the module "Bachelor's thesis".

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.