Summer 2017 Seminar in Beijing at the Stanford Center at Peking University - "Methods of Historical Science"

The Stanford Center at Peking University (SCPKU) in Beijing, China provides the perfect setting for this exciting opportunity for Stanford Co-Term, Master's or Ph.D level students in Political Science, Sociology, History, and related fields, who are contemplating social science research on non-contemporary topics, especially if they are interested in research on China.  Participants' airfare, accomodations, and food will be covered by SCPKU.  Taught by Stanford Sociology Professor Andrew Walder, this 2.5-week seminar will focus on methods of research, in particular, how to identify and exploit archival and published sources in a systematic fashion. 

Date in Beijing, China:  Saturday, August 19, 2017 (course begins August 21, 2017)

Departure Date from Beijing, China:  Thursday, September 7, 2017 (course ends by evening September 6, 2017)

Location:  Stanford Center at Peking University, Beijing, China

Instructor:  Andrew G. Walder, Professor of Sociology and Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies

Eligibility: Co-Term, Master's or Ph.D. level Stanford students in Political Science, Sociology, History, and related fields, who are contemplating social science research on non-contemporary topics, especially if they are interested in research on China. 

Fees/Cost: Airfare, accommodations, and food are covered by the Stanford Center at Peking University.  See details under "Program Cost."

Overview

This course is intended for Co-Term, Master's or Ph.D. level students in Political Science, Sociology, History, and related fields, who are contemplating social science research on non-contemporary topics, especially if they are interested in research on China. The course focuses on methods of research, in particular, how to identify and exploit archival and published sources in a systematic fashion. Particular emphasis will be placed on methods of translating qualitative documentary materials into quantitative datasets or other digital formats. The course will begin with reading selected exemplary publications in the field, most of which are about political conflict in the United States and Europe, and then moves to consider recent efforts to apply these methods to China. We will review the range of Chinese sources that have been used in recent research projects, and others that might be potentially exploitable. Students will then be asked to develop a research proposal that identifies a topic, a potentially exploitable source of historical data, and a plan for research.