Led by the CIENS team, this transdisciplinary methodology seminar will offer a practical introduction to three major methods for studying strategic issues (archives; semi-structured interviews; open source intelligence or OSINT), and a comparative analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods borrowed from history and the human and social sciences.
Throughout the seminar, we’ll also be looking at the specific nature of the subject of strategic studies, and the implications of this for our methods. How do we deal with the problem of access to archives dealing with strategic issues? How can we prepare for a semi-directive interview with a diplomat or general? What pitfalls need to be avoided when using OSINT-type data? Each course, supported by specific examples, will introduce students to research methods used in strategic studies.
This seminar, accessible without pre-requisites, is particularly recommended for students interested in the “International Relations and Contemporary Strategic Issues” minor offered by CIENS.
CIENS team
3 ECTS, 6 sessions of 2h
Thursday 10.30am – 12.30pm in the Camille Marbo room, 29 rue d’Ulm