Admission requirements
Methoden en technieken 1: bronnenonderzoek, objecten en teksten.
This course is only open to students of the BA Religiewetenschappen.
Description
Beyond historical studies, the academic study of religion is largely an empirical social science consisting of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. This course will introduce students to the latter, with a special focus on anthropological and sociological methods and techniques. In an effort to merge theory with practice, students will be required to design, conduct, and present a simple fieldwork project. Each project will include ethnography, participant observation, artifact collection, qualitative interviews, and a research report that both analyzes the collected data and reflects on the logic and limitations of qualitative research.
Course objectives
Each student who completes the course will:
Develop a broad competence and understanding of qualitative methods and techniques, particularly as these relate to the anthropological and sociological study of religion.
Be able to explain the logic and limitations of qualitative research.
Be able to work with multiple qualitative data analysis methods.
Gain firsthand experience designing, conducting, presenting, and writing-up a research report.
Gain critical thinking skills, fieldwork skills, oral and written communication skills, and knowledge of diverse cultures.
Timetable
Timetable Religiewetenschappen
Mode of instruction
Seminar.
Course Load
Total Course Load: 10EC’s x 28 hours = 280 hours
Attending class sessions: 13 sessions x 2 hours = 26 hours
Practical exercises: 12 hours
Reading assigned texts: c. 500 pages at 7 pages/hour = 72 hours
Preparing oral presentation: 20 hours
Designing and conducting fieldwork project: 80 hours
Writing Research Report: 70 hours
Assessment method
The final mark will be determined as a weighted average of three marks:
1. Fieldwork exercises: 20%
2. Active participation and contribution to class discussions: 10%
3. Research report: 70%
NOTE: students will also be required to make an oral presentation of their research findings. While this a practical excercise that is graded as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory and is not included in the final mark, only those students who make a satisfactory presentation can pass the course.
NOTE: to pass the course, students must score at least a 4 on each assignment, with a minimum weighted average of 5,5 for the final grade.
RESIT: students who have participated in all elements of the course, but scored an overall insufficient mark are entitled to a resit. For the research report, students will be given a chance to hand in a new version. For fieldwork exercises and class participation, students will be given an alternate assignment.
Blackboard
The course makes use of Blackboard in the following ways: (1) all communication will take place via Blackboard; (2) additional information about the course will be available via Blackboard; and (3) assignments must be submitted via Blackboard.
Reading list
Martyn Hammersley and Paul Atkinson, Ethnography: Principles in Practice, Third Edition (London: Routledge, 2007).
Steinar Kvale and Svend Brinkmann, Interviews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing, Third Edition (Los Angeles: Sage, 2015).
The books are available online (bol, amazon, etc.). Copies will also be placed on reserve in the library.
Additional articles and chapters will be made available on Blackboard.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Registration Studeren à la carte
Registration Contractonderwijs