Graduate School der Uni Hamburg: Process Tracing and Social Mechanisms in Social Sciences

Institution: Graduate School der Universität Hamburg

Dozent: Birgit Pfau-Effinger

Datum und Zeitplanung:

Mittwochs, jeweils 10:15-11:45,

  • 15.04.15
  • 06.5.15
  • 20.05.15
  • 10.06.15
  • 24.06.15
  • 02.07.15

Blockseminar:

  • Mo., 29.06.15, 14-18 Uhr
  • Di., 30.06.15, 09-18 Uhr

Ort: Universität Hamburg, Raum B 136 (VMP 9)

Unterrichtssprache: Deutsch

Beschreibung:

There is a relatively new debate in the field of comparative institutional research, according to which “process tracing” is an adequate way to analyze the mechanisms though which explanatory variables exert an influence on the dependent variables. Process tracing is a theory-based methodological approach in social sciences to study the “causes of effects”, this is to analyze why some explanatory variables have a specific effect on a dependent variable. The aim of the Seminar is to get in-depth knowledge of the scientific literature that introduces several variants of this methodological approach and about the ways in which social scientists have applied it. Moreover, it will be discussed how it is possible to introduce process tracing into the design of an empirical study and to apply it for cross-national and historical empirical research.

The seminar will comprise 2 SWS. It will take place regularly on Wednesday, 10:15-11:45 on the following dates: 15.4., 6.5., 20.5., 10.6., 24.6., 2.7.. In addition, it will be organized as a block seminar on Montag, 29.6., 14-16, 16-18; and on Tuesday, 30.6. 9-11, 11-13, 14-16, 16-18.

Relevant publications for an introduction into the theme (selected):

  • Deters, Henning (2012) Process tracing in the development and validation of theoretical explanations: the example of environmental policy-making in the EU, European Political Science 12.
  • Hedström, Peter; Ylikoski, Petri, Causal Mechanisms in the Social Sciences, Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 36: 49-67
  • Mahoney, James (2012) The Logic of Process Tracing in Social Science, Sociological Methods & Research 2012 41: 570
  • Mahoney, James (2004), Comparative-Historical Methodology, Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 30 (2004), pp. 81-101Published
  • Martin, Claude (2010), The Reframing of Family Policy in France: Actors, Ideas and Instruments, Journal of European Social Policy, vol. 20, 5, 410-421.

Anmeldung:

Anmeldungen sind ab sofort bis zum 19.03.2015 über Geventis https://www.geventis.uni-hamburg.de möglich.