RLDZ2 Seminar on Theory and Method

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2021
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Milan Fujda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. David Zbíral, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Zbíral, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Ivona Vrzalová
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
each odd Tuesday 14:00–15:40 J.509
Prerequisites (in Czech)
PHDZ1 Philosophy for doct. studies 1
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course provides deeper theoretic methodologica expertise byway of reading up to date theoretic-methodological texts and discussing their content.
Learning outcomes
After passing the course students are able to
  • analyze thoroughly the problems of objectivity in research;
  • practice reflexivity in the form of practical tools and strategies in research practice;
  • take into account ethics and politics in research, protect the privacy of informants, analyze field relations from the ethical and political point of view, and practice research in harmony with ethical guidelines and respect;
  • plan and design the research pragmatically and efficiently with regard to their theoretical goals;
  • minimize at least the elementary errors in the analytical process.
    • Syllabus
    • Research objectivity.
    • Reflexivity as research practice.
    • Researcher's identity in the field and in relation to a research topic.
    • Ethical aspects of the research practice.
    • Research design in relation to the research aim.
    • Data analysis.
    Literature
      required literature
    • LATOUR, Bruno. Reassembling the social : an introduction to actor-network-theory. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005, x, 301. ISBN 9780199256051. info
      recommended literature
    • The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Edited by Norman K. Denzin - Yvonna S. Lincoln. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2011, xvi, 766. ISBN 9781412974172. URL info
    • Ethnographic fieldwork : an anthropological reader. Edited by Antonius C. G. M. Robben - Jeffrey A. Sluka. 1st pub. Malden: Blackwell Publishing, 2006, xvi, 616. ISBN 1405125926. info
    • LAW, John. After method : mess in social science research. 1st ed. London: Routledge, 2004, viii, 188. ISBN 0415341752. URL info
    • GARFINKEL, Harold. Studies in ethnomethodology. 1st pub. Cambridge: Policy Press, 1984, xvi, 288. ISBN 0745600050. info
    Teaching methods
    The course is based on seminar discussions. It's topics reflect the required reading and the students' presentations which aim at solving relevant problems in their dissertation projects. The main outcome is the first draft of the chapter in the dissertation that deals with theoretic and methodological issues and provides an elaborated presentation of the research theme.
    Assessment methods
    An essay in the form of theorethic-methodological introductory chapter of the disertation (70%).
    Essay defence - colloquial defence of the methodological chapter of the disertation (30%).
    Language of instruction
    Czech
    Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
    The course is taught annually.
    The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022.
    • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2021, recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2021/RLDZ2