RLA13 Introduction to Research Methodology in the Study of Religions

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2017
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s) (plus 1 credit for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jakub Cigán, Ph.D. (lecturer)
PhDr. Andrea Beláňová, Ph.D. (assistant)
Mgr. Lucie Čechovská (assistant)
Mgr. Michaela Ondrašinová, Ph.D. (assistant)
Ing. Mgr. et Mgr. Miroslav Vrzal, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Zbíral, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Šárka Londa Vondráčková
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Mon 10:50–12:25 U35
Prerequisites
RLA01 Introduction to Religion
Introduction to the Study of Religions
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 50 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/50, only registered: 0/50, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/50
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the fundamental principles, procedures and problems of systematical scientific research work, and so introduce them to the scientific research understood as an intellectual craftsmanship.
At the end of the course students should be able to:
use the elementary procedures of formalized logical thinking;
explain what is science and scientific research as the specific activity aimed to the production of knowledge;
explain the differences between systematic scientific research and the other forms of theoretical articulation of problems and solving of the queestions;
understand the meaning and significance of theory in an empirical research;
explain principal approaches to the gaining of scientific knowledge in social sciences (quatitative, qualitative approaches, historical research), chose properly between principal research strategies with reference to the research problems;
explain relations among concepts of scientific objectivity, value neutrality and the positionality of the researcher.
Syllabus

  • 1. Organizational meeting: The science as an intellectual crfatsmenship
    2. What is science
    3. Research in the social sciences
    4. What is a research theme
    5. Sociology, history and the meaning and significance of theory and methodology in the scientific work
    6. Social action and interpretation/explanation
    7. Research themes in historical anthropology
    8. Introduction to a quantitative sociological research
    9. Introduction to a qualitative sociological research
    10. Systematical work of an intellectual craftsman: How to make systematic notes
    11. The problem of objectivity in social-scientific research
    12. Building of a (grounded) theory
Literature
    required literature
  • SILVERMAN, David. Ako robiť kvalitatívny výskum : praktická príručka. Translated by Martin Štulrajter. Bratislava: Ikar, 2005, 327 s. ISBN 8055109044. info
  • DISMAN, Miroslav. Jak se vyrábí sociologická znalost : příručka pro uživatele. 3. vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 2000, 374 s. ISBN 9788024601397. info
  • WEBER, Max. Metodologie, sociologie a politika. Translated by Miloš Havelka. 2., opr. vyd. Praha: Oikoymenh, 2009, 351 s. ISBN 9788072983896. URL info
  • DÜLMEN, Richard van. Historická antropologie : vývoj, problémy, úkoly. Translated by Josef Boček. 1. vyd. v čes. jaz. Praha: Dokořán, 2002, 116 s. ISBN 8086569152. info
    recommended literature
  • STRAUSS, Anselm and Juliet CORBINOVÁ. Základy kvalitativního výzkumu : postupy a techniky metody zakotvené teorie. Vyd. 1. Boskovice: Albert, 1999, 196 s. ISBN 80-85834-60-X. info
  • MILLS, Charles Wright. Sociologická imaginace. Edited by Todd Gitlin, Translated by Václav Dušek. Vyd. 1. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2002, 310 s. ISBN 80-86429-04-0. info
Teaching methods
reading, writing commentaries, class discussion
Assessment methods
10 commentaries on reading, the research proposal, oral examination
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Information on completion of the course: Posluchači religionistiky povinně ukončují zkouškou.
The course is taught annually.
General note: Doporučen současný zápis RLA24.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
Teacher's information
https://elf.phil.muni.cz/elf2/course/view.php?id=2084
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2017, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2017/RLA13