SOCI 3014 - Qualitative Research Methods in Social Sciences

The aim of this course is to develop students’ understanding of the various traditions, methodologies and methods that inform qualitative research. Qualitative research helps social researchers access deep aspects of lived experience and can help us address some of the elusive ‘why?’ questions of social life. Qualitative research helps us appreciate the complexity and richness of social life, which is typically inaccessible to large scale social surveys. Students will encounter a wide range of qualitative research methods and perspectives, for example, feminist perspectives, symbolic interactionism, ethnography, discourse analysis, qualitative interviews, participatory action research. Students will have the opportunity to test out some of these methods and will also develop skills in question development and linking research methods to questions in a manner that facilitates robust research practice.