| Methods in Sociology and Anthropology

Research in the sociological and anthropological domains of inquiry is particularly qualified by choice of methods – qualitative or quantitative. These are also shaped by questions of who a researcher is, what their relationships to the research question and subject are, the context surrounding research, its political implications. This core course in the Sociology and Anthropology major introduces students to the fundamentals of methods employed in sociological and anthropological inquiry. It begins with an introduction to various epistemological approaches to conducting research, followed by training in qualitative and ethnographic tools, and concludes with an orientation to research ethics.

The course begins by orienting students to the importance of conducting research and the various philosophical approaches to knowledge production. Students are then introduced to the various components of the research design in detail. Special emphasis is given on adopting conceptual frameworks and the appropriate methodological approaches. Following this, students learn about key tools of conducting qualitative research. They are then trained in techniques of data analysis and writing. A detailed discussion on positionality, reflexivity and ethics concludes the course.