Summary
Contents
Subject index
This book is designed for students of Politics and International Relations at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. It provides explanations of fifty core concepts in political research methods and, uniquely, explains how these methods can be used in International Relations. Where relevant, alternative research concepts and strategies are suggested. Each ‘concept’ will incorporate a simple definition, a focused explanation, an examination of key debates and areas of research, along with cross-references to other related concepts. This format allows students and researchers alike to utilise the text either as a companion to specific modules, or on a ‘dip into’ basis. Key Features: - Provides an overview of the place of each concept in Politics and International Relations under the headings: meaning, origins and current usage. - Concepts are grouped into sections corresponding to the main themes usually covered in teaching. - Relevant concepts in the book are emboldened and linked by listing at the end of each concept - Guidance is provided to further reading on each of the concepts discussed.
Epistemology
Epistemology
Political and international relations research is not, and cannot be, judgement-free and, as such, there are certain standards by which we define and judge what we are studying. It is precisely because political researchers adopt differing ontological and epistemological standpoints that we are faced with so many explanations of the same phenomenon.
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that studies the theory of knowledge (Grix, 2002: 177). Essentially, it is the attempt to understand what is real knowledge and what is false knowledge. How do we know what we know is true? Marsh and Furlong (2002: 17) say epistemology (and ontology) is like a skin rather than a sweater, meaning that ‘most often those positions are implicit rather than explicit, but regardless of whether ...
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