Research Strategy II - Qualitative

Catalog description

Qualitative inquiry has a unique capacity to describe social behavior and process, uncover causal linkages, interpret meaning and significance, and build robust, empirical theory. Doing qualitative research involves more than mastering technical aspects of methods. It also requires grounding methodological decisions in a theoretical perspective and engaging ethical and political dimensions of doing research with others in social settings. This course offers an introduction to qualitative inquiry as it applies to environmental studies and related phenomena. It explores the philosophical underpinnings of particular traditions (e.g., ethnography, grounded theory) and builds practical competence with specific research skills (e.g., interviews, observation, field notes, analysis). Additional contact hours will be met by specific course work designed to be completed online.