Introduction to Social Science Research and Qualitative Methods

The course has as objectives: stimulate awareness of the methodological problems and obstacles that scientific research in general and social research in particular must face in the investigation of phenomena; provide a complete overview on the main research methods of social sciences; stimulate a multidisciplinary approach to the analysis and prediction of social phenomena; provide insight into the main qualitative research methods (ethnography, interview, observation); provide insight into some of the methods that best lend themselves to interdisciplinary research (psychological experiments, agent based modelling).