Dr Robin Archer STC.S114a

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Political Sociology. This course is not available as an outside option.

These seminars are for students on the MSc Political Sociology only.

These seminars aim to help you to begin the process of writing your dissertation. At the end of MT we will have four seminars that aim to get students thinking at a meta-level about research in political sociology. The seminars can, of course, only address a small selection of approaches. Examples might include rational choice and institutionalist theories, or comparative and case study methods. But please note that the MSc in Political Sociology takes a pluralist approach and does not seek to prescribe these or any other particular theories or methods. In LT we will hold dissertation workshop seminars that aim to give individually tailored guidance on proposed research questions in small groups with fellow students who are working on similar topics or using similar methods. Every student is required to make a formal presentation once during the term.

6 hours of seminars in the MT. 15 hours of workshops in the LT.

4 x 1.5 hours seminars in MT.  10 x 1.5 hours workshops in LT.

There will be three workshops during MT for ALL MSc students based in the Sociology department. These will be taught in conjunction with LSE Life and programme convenors, and aim to provide some basic guidance about planning your dissertation, such as selecting a suitable topic, reviewing the existing literature, devising a research question and designing a research method.’

Reading Weeks: Students on this course will have a reading week in MT Week 6 and LT Week 6, in line with departmental policy.

Students will be expected to produce 1 presentation in the LT.

Students will: (1) assess the strengths and weakness of selected theories and methods; (2) formulate a clearly specified research question and set out the rationale for researching this question and a proposed approach; and (3) give a presentation which develops one or two of the main arguments they anticipate will be important to their project.

Donatella Della Porta and Michael Keating (2008), Approaches and Methods in the Social Sciences: a Pluralist Approach, Thomas Janoski et al, (2005), The Handbook of Political Sociology, James Mahoney and Dietrich Rueschemeyer (2003), Comparative Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences.

Dissertation (100%, 10000 words) in August.

Two hard copies of the dissertation, with submission sheets attached to each, to be handed in to the Sociology Hub, STC.S116, no later than 4.00pm on Thursday 20th of August 2020. An additional electronic copy to be uploaded to Moodle no later than 4.00pm on the same day.

Both hard copies and electronic copies must be submitted on time to avoid any late submission penalties.

Dissertations may be up to and no more than 10,000 words, must be word-processed and be fully referenced using a recognised citation system.

Attendance at all classes and submission of all set coursework is required.