A doctoral student is holding a laptop and is pointing out a course on the screen where the schedule for different doctoral courses can be seen.

Spring 2022

  • Sociology

    Dissertation Tutorial: Sociology
    0 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Content

    Doctoral theses supervised by Henning Hillmann, Florian Keusch, Irena Kogan, Frauke Kreuter, and Katja Möhring respectively, will be discussed.

    Schedule
    Tutorial
    Keusch 10.02.20 – 25.05.20 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 tbd
    Kogan 02.03.21 – 15.06.21 Tuesday 13:45 – 15:15 tbd
    Gautschi 02.03.21 – 15.06.21 Tuesday 13:45 – 15:15 tbd
    Hillmann 03.03.21 – 16.06.21 Wednesday 17:15 – 18:45 tbd
    Möhring 04.03.21 – 17.06.21 Thursday 10:15 – 11:45 tbd
    DIS: Dissertation Proposal Workshop
    2+8 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: DIS
    Credits: 2+8
    Prerequisites

    Crafting Social Science Research, Literature Review

    Course Content

    The goal of this course is to provide support and crucial feedback on writing students' dissertation proposal. Such a proposal is a research outline that delineates the doctoral thesis project, including the motivation for research question(s), the survey of the relevant theoretical and empirical contributions, the development of a theoretical framework, the specification of the methodology and planned empirical analysis.
    You should be prepared to address the following questions: What makes that an interesting question? Is it an important question? What contributions would this question and the answers make to the scholarly literature? What strategies are there to answer your research question(s)?

    Nota bene: Further meeting dates will be determined during the first session.

    Information on how to submit the dissertation proposal (8 ECTS) can be retrieved from the CDSS regulations section.

    Schedule
    Workshop
    1st meeting, further dates tbd 15.02.22 Tuesday 394066:15 – 11:45 tbc Link
    RES: CDSS Workshop: Sociology
    2 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: RES
    Credits: 2
    Course Content

    Participation is mandatory for first to third year CDSS Sociology students. Participation is recommended for later CDSS doctoral candidates, but to no credit.

    The goal of this course is to provide support and crucial feedback for CDSS doctoral candidates in sociology on their ongoing dissertation project. In this workshop CDSS students are expected to play two roles. They should provide feedback to their peers as well as present their own work in order to receive feedback.

    Schedule
    Workshop
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Wednesday 17:00 – 18:00 C 112 in A5, 6 entrance C
    RES: English Academic Writing
    3 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: RES
    Credits: 3
    Prerequisites

    CSSR, Literature Review

    Course Content

    The goal of this course is to provide guidance and constructive feedback on writing academic papers in English. Each session will guide students through techniques for writing and/or revision of a paper or other similar document. Between sessions, students will apply techniques learnt to their own texts, receiving frequent feedback on their papers and tips on how to improve their writing. By the end of the course each participant will have improved at least one paper to a publishable standard and should be able to approach their next paper with greater confidence.

    Schedule
    Workshop
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 12:00 – 13:30 tbc Link
    RES: MZES A Colloquium “European Societies and their Integration”
    2 ECTS
    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: RES
    Credits: 2
    Course Content

    Please refer to the MZES webpages for dates and times.

    MET: 11th GESIS Summer School in Survey Methodology & GESIS Workshops
    up to 12 ECTS
    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: up to 12
    Prerequisites

    CDSS doctoral students have privileged access to the GESIS Summer School in Survey Methodology as well as GESIS workshops are exempt from course fees*.

    Contact the Center Manager before registering for any of the courses and only thereafter register directly through the GESIS web page making sure to mention that you are a CDSS doctoral student.

    The GESIS summer school takes place in Cologne from 4 to 26 August 2022. Detailed information about the summer school program is available on the GESIS website.

     

     

     

    *According to the provisions stated in §3 (5) of the GESIS CDSS cooperative treaty.

    MET: Advanced Quantitative Methods
    6+2 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)
    Oliver Rittmann
    Viktoriia Semenova

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6+2
    Prerequisites

    Knowledge of Multivariate Analysis

    Course Content

    The goal of this course is to provide an introduction into maximum-likelihood estimation.

    Students who wish to pass this course must complete homework assignments and produce a research paper. Participation in the tutorial session (2 ECTS) is mandatory for the assignments which complement the lecture (6 ECTS).

    Literature

    • Eliason, Scott R. 1993. Maximum Likelihood Estimation: Logic and Practice. Newbury Park: Sage.
    • Long, J. Scott. 1997. Regression Models for Categorical and Limited Dependent Variables. Newbury Park: Sage.
    • King, Gary. 2008. Unifying political methodology: the likelihood theory of statistical inference. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Homework assignements, research paper (all graded)

     

    Tutorial

    This tutorial accompanies the course “Advanced Quantitative Methods” in Political Science. The lab sessions will focus on the practical issues associated with quantitative methods, including obtaining and preparing data sets, how to use statistical software, which tests to use for different kinds of problems, how to graph data effectively for presentation and analysis, and how to interpret results. The seminar will also serve as a software tutorial. No prior knowledge of statistical programming is expected.

    Schedule
    Tutorial
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 10:15 – 11:45 B 317 in A5, 6 entrance B
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 15:30 – 17:00 D007 in B6, 27–29
    Lecture
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Wednesday 08:30 – 10:00 B 244 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    MET: Computational Social Science: Theory Application
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    In the wake of the digital revolution, societies store an ever-increasing amount of data on humans and their behavior. In parallel, advances in computational power & methods allow for meaningful interpretations of such data. This enables social scientists to approach old questions with new methods, but also to study entirely new questions.
    The seminar introduces students to different aspects of this “big data revolution”. It comprises theoretical sessions in which discuss the implications such as the societal and scientific opportunities and challenges of new forms of data and methods (from social media, communications platforms, Internet of Things devices, sensors/wearables, and mobile phones, digitized old data records, machine learning). In addition, it comprises lab sessions in which we learn – hands-on – how such new forms of data can be captured, curated, and analyzed using computational methods. Students apply what they have learned in their own projects.  

    Course requirements & assessment

    • Participation
    • Weekly reading and preparation of materials and exercises
    • (Individual) Presentation of the planned term paper towards the end of the term
    • Written term paper (graded)
    Schedule
    Seminar
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:15 A 102 in B6, 23–25
    MET: Computational Text Analysis
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Quantitative Text Analysis and Natural Language Processing are rapidly becoming staple tools in social science.  The field is advancing rapidly, as new methods from computer science are spilling over and find application in traditional questions of political science, communication and sociology.

    This course gives an in-depth introduction to the core principles of text analysis, with a focus on the application of state of the art techniques in machine learning to individual research projects. Participants should be proficient in R, Python will be taught along the way.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Coursework (2 coding tasks and 1 final paper) can be handed in relating to data relevant to individual research questions.

    Schedule
    Seminar
    biweekly 25.02.22 – 03.06.22 Friday 13:45 – 17:00 tbc Link
    MET: Experimental Designs in the Social Sciences
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Experimental research designs are called the silver bullet or ‘Königsweg’ for causal identification. In recent years, the growing interest in causal identification and mechanism testing made experimental designs a regular empirical research tool in the social sciences – most recently in political science and sociology. This seminar shall give a broad overview of the range of experimental methods such as survey, field, lab-in-the-field, and laboratory experiments. We will discuss classical and recent work, including shortcomings and best practices like transparency (open science) and ethical considerations in experimental research methods. In addition, students will learn to think critically about different (experimental) research designs and design their own experiment to answer a research question they have developed. 

    Course requirements & assement

    Weekly preparation of two discussion-questions, one presentation (allocated text(s), discussion preparation), active participation in seminar, presentation of the Exposé of the seminar paper (graded (incl. peer-feedback)), research design seminar paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 15:30 – 17:00 A 102 in B6, 23–25
    MET: Longitudinal Data Analysis (Lecture + Tutorial)
    6+3 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)
    Frederic Gerdon

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6+3
    Course Content

    Lecture

    The course provides a broad overview over methods of longitudinal data analysis, with a focus on the analysis of panel data. Compared to cross-sectional data, panel data can allow to improve causal inference. The first objective of this course is to understand why and under which conditions this is the case. In the next step, we will discuss a variety of different modeling approaches to panel data (fixed effects, random effects, first difference) and learn how to decide between these models.

    It is highly recommended to participate in the parallel exercises to this lecture, in which the presented models  are applied to real datasets using the statistical programming language R. Although prior knowledge of R is not a prerequisite for attending the lecture/tutorial, we recommend that students without any knowledge of R work through one or more of the introductory R tutorials prior to or during the first weeks of the course. Some resources can be found here and we will point to additional resources during the first weeks of the course:  https://rstudio.cloud/learn/primers ; http://www.statmethods.net/ ; https://swirlstats.com/ ; https://datacamp.com"

    Tutorial

    Using R, we apply methods of longitudinal data analysis (especially first-difference-models and random/fixed effects-models) to real survey data. Although prior knowledge of R is not a prerequisite for attending the tutorial, we recommend that students without any knowledge of R work through one or more of the introductory R tutorials prior to or during the first weeks of the course. Some resources can be found here and we will point to additional resources during the first weeks of the course:  https://rstudio.cloud/learn/primers ; http://www.statmethods.net/ ; https://swirlstats.com/ ; https://datacamp.com

    Course requirements & assessment

    Successful participation in the tutorial (active participation, short oral presentation, short assignments (graded), written exam (graded)

    Schedule
    Tutorial
    15.02.22 – 31.05.22 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:00 A 103 in B6, 23–25 Link
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 10:15 – 11:45 Zoom Link
    Lecture
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 B 244 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    MET: Modelling Social Processes
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    This course provides an introduction to formal models in the social sciences. It discusses a series of basic prototypes which have proved to be important tools for theory construction in various fields. Relating to the general model of sociological explanation (‘Coleman boat’), the focus is on processes of the steps of (non-trivial) aggregation and on dynamics over time. Topics covered are, for example, exchange, strategic action, collective action and the evolution of cooperation, mobilisation, diffusion, or segregation. While most of the models and examples chosen might already be fairly well known, this course puts specific emphasis on explaining the math behind them in more detail than usual and on practically ‘playing around’ with the models. Thus, it will provide some expertise and training in general formal skills, such as game theory, difference equations, differential equations, and agent-based simulation. The aim is to enable participants in principle to modify, extend or combine existing models according to their own research questions.

     

    Course requirements & assessment

    Participation, homework, presentations, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 13:45 – 15:15 B 144 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    MET: Multilevel Modeling
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Prerequisites

    Regression analysis

    Course Content

    Multilevel modeling is used when observations on the individual level are nested in units of one or more higher levels (e.g. students in classes in schools). The course will cover the logic of multilevel modeling, its statistical background, and implementation with Stata. Applications will come from international comparative research treating countries as the higher level units. Data from the International Social Survey Program and the PIONEUR project (on intra-European migration) serve as examples. However, students are also encouraged to bring their own data.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Home assignments, presentation (graded)

    Literature

    • Goldstein, H. (2010). Multilevel Statistical Models (Fourth Edition). London: Arnold.
    • Hox, J. (2010). Multilevel Analysis: Techniques and Applications. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
    • Rabe-Hesketh, S. & Skrondal, A. (2012). Multilevel and Longitudinal Modeling Using Stata. 3nd Edition. College Station, TX: Stata Press.
    • Raudenbush, S. W. & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical Linear Models. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
    • Snijders, T. A. B. & Bosker, R. J. (2012). Multilevel Analysis. An Introduction to Basic and Advanced Multilevel Modelling. London: Sage.
    • StataCorp. (2017). Stata Multilevel Mixed-Effects. Reference Manual. Release 15. College Station, TX: Stata Press.
    Schedule
    Seminar
    16.02.22 – 16.03.22 Wednesday 13:45 – 17:00 Zoom Link
    04.05.22 Wednesday 13:45 – 17:00 B 318 in A5, 6 entrance A
    11.05.22 Wednesday 13:45 – 17:00 B 318 in A5, 6 entrance A
    MET: Questionnaire Design
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Surveys are a major data source for quantitative social science research. This graduate-level course will teach the fundamentals of questionnaire design for social science surveys. The course covers theoretical models of answering survey questions, the process of developing questions, and methods to evaluate the quality of questions. A special focus of the course will be on discussing sources of error that may be introduced by question design decisions. For illustration purposes and exercise, the course will draw on questions from large-scale surveys such as the German General Survey (ALLBUS), European Social Survey (ESS), European Values Study (EVS), and the German Socio-economic Panel (SOEP).

    Course requirements & assessment

    Active participation, homework assignments/oral presentations, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 13:45 – 15:15 A 102 in B6, 23–25
    MET/POL: Selected Topics in Comparative Politics: Formal Models in CP (and some in IR)
    8 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET/POL
    Credits: 8
    Prerequisites

    Topics covered in introductory Game Theory class

    Course Content

    This course is a continuation of the intro into Game Theory and surveys key applications of game theory with a particular emphasis on the link of theories, methods and empirics. Emphasis will be placed on prominent applications of those concepts in political science, in both comparative and international politics. Topics covered include electoral competition, delegation, political agency, governmental veto players, authoritarian politics, manipulation, war and crisis bargaining. While the focus is on understanding applied work, previous training in game theory is required. Students will build upon their previous game theory training to become informed consumers of scholarship utilizing the methodology and begin to learn how to apply game-theoretic logic to their own work. The course is partly taught from lecture notes, at other times students present a research paper and stimulate discussion in class.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Class discussion, paper presentation, participation, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Lecture
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 B 318 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    RES (Bridge Course): New Perspectives on Economics and Politics
    5 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: RES (Bridge Course)
    Credits: 5
    Course Content

    We live in interesting times both, economically and politically. Many observers point to crises and uncertain developments in the economic and political world. Making sense of the nature of these challenges and pointing toward economic and political solutions for the future requires new perspectives. This is a course about the big and bold questions in economics and politics. How can or should economics and politics be organized to best serve society? What does it mean to put humans as they really are at the center of economic and political thinking? What role do morals and values, or dignity and respect, play for the way economics and politics work?

    We will try to come to grips with these questions by reading and discussing six key books on various new perspectives at the intersection between economics and politics. The aim of this course is to go as deep as we can and to get as much out of an in-class discussion of the material as possible. Willingness to acquire and read the books is a must. If you are unsure about whether or not you would want to take on the commitment of reading six books in one semester then this course is probably not the right one for you.

    Students need to be willing to read books, form their own opinions on them, and elaborate on and defend their own views in group discussions and a final essay.

    Learning outcomes: The aim of this course is to engage in intellectual dialogue, to develop a personal point of view on some of the central economic and political questions we face today, and to allow ourselves to think creatively, freely, and out of the box. After completing this course, students will have read important texts on new perspectives in economics and politics, they will have trained their ability to distill an own point of view from the writings of leading scientists, they will train their writing and discussion skills, and they will train to creatively apply what they have read in writing about the future of economics and politics in our society.

    For each session, students need to have read the respective book in advance. (Detailed schedule will be provided in an introductory session.)

    • Fukuyama, F. (2018). Identity: The demand for dignity and the politics of resentment. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
    • Sandel, M. J. (2020). The tyranny of merit: What’s become of the common good?. Penguin UK.
    • Goodhart, D. (2017). The road to somewhere: The populist revolt and the future of politics. Oxford University Press.
    • Rajan, R. (2019). The third pillar: How markets and the state leave the community behind. Penguin.
    • Haidt, J. (2012). The righteous mind: Why good people are divided by politics and religion. Vintage.
    • Bowles, S. (2016). The moral economy. Yale University Press

    Form of assessment: Essay 50 %, Class Participation 50 %

    Schedule
    Lecture
    Introductory Session 18.02.22 Friday 10:00 – 13:30 L 9, 1–2, room 409
    29.04.22 – 10.06.22 Friday 10:00 – 13:30 B6, 30–32 room 212/213
    SOC: Advanced Topics in Migration & Education: Educational Inequalities in Europe
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: SOC
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    For long, education has been seen as a “giant sorting machine” for life chances in industrialized societies (Dunlop et al. 1975). This truism has been holding for decades. In light of technological changes and the expansion of knowledge-based tasks, education might increase its importance even more. Yet, educational opportunities are unevenly distributed. Social origin (parental class, income, education, wealth as well as (epi-)genetic dispositions), ethnic background, and gender affect chances of educational transitions and educational attainment. Inequality of educational opportunities also vary by country and across time. In the seminar on educational inequalities in Europe, we discuss classic and more recent theories of educational inequalities, different trends over time and cross-national variation in Europe, and we focus on selected dimensions of educational inequalities.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Regular small assignments (developing research questions based on the readings); compulsory attendance; participating in active discussion.

    Written term paper (max. 5000 words, graded), deadline: Jan 31, 2021

    Schedule
    Seminar
    16.02.22 Wednesday 08:30 – 11:45 Zoom Link
    bi-weekly 09.03.22 – 06.04.22 Wednesday 08:30 – 11:45 Zoom
    27.04.22 Wednesday 08:30 – 11:45 C013 in A5, 6 entrance C
    18.05.22 Wednesday 08:30 – 11:45 C013 in A5, 6 entrance C
    01.06.22 Wednesday 08:30 – 11:45 C013 in A5, 6 entrance C
    SOC: Conducting a Field Experiment: A Hands-On Introduction
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: SOC
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    The purpose of this in-person class is to learn how to conduct cutting-edge experimental social science research in the field by gaining first-hand experience in replicating the analysis of a highly published experiment as well as extending lost letter experimental study with original data collection in Mannheim. Furthermore, students will learn how to design their own field experiment.

    Field experiments are powerful tools for measuring social phenomena such as honesty, cooperation, trust and discrimination in real-life contexts. This seminar will provide students with first-hand experience in designing and analyzing field experiments. Working as a class, we will also conduct a lost letter experiment involving original data collection in Mannheim and the surrounding cities. Finally, students will have the opportunity to develop and workshop their own field experimental designs.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Active participation in class/ peer-feedback/individual consultations/ written response papers /learning portfolio. The following all graded: response papers, replication report and peer-review of replication article, active participation in data collection, academic poster with presentation, peer feedback , final paper (research design) 

     

    Schedule
    Seminar
    15.02.22 – 31.05.22 Tuesday 13:45 – 15:15 D002 in B6, 27–29 Link
    SOC: Measuring and explaining xenophobic and right-wing populist attitudes
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: SOC
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    In the age of increasing migration and the raise of right-wing populist parties the question of how to measure and explain xenophobic and populist attitudes becomes very important. While xenophobia has already been investigated for a long time, even if it still constitutes a controversial issue how to measure it, research on populist attitudes has started only very recently. In this seminar current and innovative approaches as well as ideas for further developments will be discussed. Moreover, existing studies will be replicated to explore them more deeply.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Participation, weekly reading, presentation of an empirical study, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Wednesday 10:15 – 11:45 C 112 in A5, 6 entrance C Link
    SOC: Sex/Gender as Dimensions of Social Stratification
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: SOC
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Sex and gender belong to the most basic categories recognized in all human societies. Also sex and gender affect all aspects of human life. This course will focus on how sex and gender are related to and affect main dimensions of social inequality, namely education, work, income, and the welfare state. The course begins by introducing how social scientists conceptualize sex and gender and ends with reflections on how to theorize these concepts. Objectives: In this course you will learn how sex and gender shape social inequalities in Western societies. You will be introduced to the main theories as well as to important findings in this field. Through your course work, your presentation and your term paper you will gain experience in writing scientific texts and presenting scientific results. Prerequisites: Knowledge of basic concepts and theoretical models in sociology, in particular in the field of social stratification and social inequality, is beneficial. In addition, sound methodological competencies are advantageous. Organization: During each session topics will be introduced by the instructor and then specific aspects will be highlighted in presentations by students (see dates below). Topics for presentations can be arranged with the instructor either before the start of the course via email or at the first session.

    It is assumed that all participants read the literature given below, actively follow the course, engage in discussions and do a presentation. The graded term paper should not exceed 5,000 words and should be delivered electronically via e-mail preferably in pfd-format to the instructor.

    Deadline for delivery of the term paper is midnight July 31, 2022.

    Literature

    • Barone, Carlo. 2011. Some things never change: Gender segregation in higher education across eight nations and three decades. Sociology of Education 84:157–176.
    • Bianchi, Suzanne M., Melissa A. Milkie, Liana C. Sayer and John P. Robinson. 2000. Is anyone doing the housework? Trends in the gender division of household labor. Social Forces 79:191–228.
    • Buchmann, Claudia, Thomas A. Diprete and Anne McDaniel. 2008. Gender inequalities in education. Annual Review of Sociology 34:319–337.
    • Cha, Youngjoo, and Kim A. Weeden. 2014. Overwork and the slow convergence in the gender gap in wages. American Social Review pre-print.
    • Choo, Hae Y., and Myra Marx Ferree. 2010. “Practicing Intersectionality in Sociological Research: A Critical Analysis of Inclusions, Interactions, and Institutions in the Study of Inequalities.” Sociological Theory 28, 129–49. doi.org/10.1111/j.1467- 9558.2010.01370.x.
    • Davis, Shannon, and Theodore N. Greenstein. 2009. Gender Ideology: Components, Predictors, and Consequences. Annual Review of Sociology 35:87–105.
    • Grönlund, Anne, Karin Halldén, and Charlotta Magnusson. 2017. “A Scandinavian Success Story? Women’s Labour Market Outcomes in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.” Acta Sociologica 60, 97–119. 10.1177/0001699316660595.
    • Jarman, Jennifer, Robert M. Blackburn and Girts Racko. 2012. The dimensions of occupational gender segregation in industrial countries. Sociology 46:1003-1019.
    • Korpi, Walter, Tommy Ferrarini and Stefan Englund. 2013. Women's opportunities under different family policy constellations: Gender, class, and inequality tradeoffs in western countries re-examined. Social Politics 20:1–40.
    • Neilson, Jeffrey, and Maria Stanfors. 2014. It's about time! Gender, parenthood, and household division of labor under different welfare regimes. Journal of Family Issues 35:1066-1088.
    • Stier, Haya, and Meir Yaish. 2014. Occupational segregation and gender inequality in job quality: a multi-level approach. Work, Employment and Society 28:225–246.
    • Twenge, Jean M. 1997. Changes in masculine and feminine traits over time: a meta-analysis. Sex Roles 36:305–325.
    • Weichselbaumer, Doris, and Rudolf Winter-Ebmer. 2005. A meta-analysis of the international gender wage gap. Journal of Economic Surveys 19:479–511.
    • West, Candace, and Don H. Zimmerman. 1987. Doing Gender. Gender & Society 1:125–151
    Schedule
    Seminar
    bi-weekly 18.02.22 – 01.04.22 Friday 10:15 – 13:30 tbc Link
    29.04.22 Friday 10:15 – 13:30 tbc
    20.05.22 Friday 10:15 – 13:30 tbc
    03.06.22 Friday 10:15 – 13:30 tbc
    SOC: Welfare state resilience during economic crises
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: SOC
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Welfare states provide social protection against social risks, this should hold particularly during a crisis. Whether European welfare states contribute to the resilience of societies during a crisis is currently debated. During a recession, employment protection, unemployment benefits and active labour market policies mitigate the risk of job loss. In addition, minimum income schemes should provide a basic safety net for jobless or low work-intensive households. Also, public pensions provide an income security to people in retirement, while funded pensions maybe negatively affected during a crisis. During the last crises, job retention policies (or short-time work schemes) were sought to limit mass unemployment and secure income during the crisis. However, an economic crisis puts additional pressure on financial sustainability of social spending, leading to austerity reform pressures. The seminar will study the resilience of welfare states in respect to their capacity to mitigate economic crises, to absorb the employment shock and adapt to newly arising social risks. Besides more historical economic crises, the Great Recession that started in 2008 and the Great Pandemic since 2020 will be used to study the different welfare state responses across European countries in a comparative perspective.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Active participation and oral presentation during the seminar, ritten term paper (max. 5000 words) by the end of July

    Schedule
    Seminar
    15.02.22 – 31.05.22 Tuesday 10:15 – 11:45 B 317 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
  • Political Science

    Dissertation Tutorial: Political Science
    0 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Content

    Doctoral theses supervised by professors in the department of Political Science will be discussed.

    Please check with individual chairs for dates and times.

    DIS: Dissertation Proposal Workshop
    2+8 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: DIS
    Credits: 2+8
    Prerequisites

    Crafting Social Science Research, Literature Review

    Course Content

    The goal of this course is to provide support and crucial feedback on writing students' dissertation proposal. Such a proposal is a research outline that delineates the doctoral thesis project, including the motivation for research question(s), the survey of the relevant theoretical and empirical contributions, the development of a theoretical framework, the specification of the methodology and planned empirical analysis.
    You should be prepared to address the following questions: What makes that an interesting question? Is it an important question? What contributions would this question and the answers make to the scholarly literature? What strategies are there to answer your research question(s)?

    Nota bene: Further meeting dates will be determined during the first session.

    Information on how to submit the dissertation proposal (8 ECTS) can be retrieved from the CDSS regulations section.

    Schedule
    Workshop
    1st meeting, further dates tbd 15.02.22 Tuesday 394066:15 – 11:45 tbc Link
    MET: Advanced Quantitative Methods
    6+2 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)
    Oliver Rittmann
    Viktoriia Semenova

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6+2
    Prerequisites

    Knowledge of Multivariate Analysis

    Course Content

    The goal of this course is to provide an introduction into maximum-likelihood estimation.

    Students who wish to pass this course must complete homework assignments and produce a research paper. Participation in the tutorial session (2 ECTS) is mandatory for the assignments which complement the lecture (6 ECTS).

    Literature

    • Eliason, Scott R. 1993. Maximum Likelihood Estimation: Logic and Practice. Newbury Park: Sage.
    • Long, J. Scott. 1997. Regression Models for Categorical and Limited Dependent Variables. Newbury Park: Sage.
    • King, Gary. 2008. Unifying political methodology: the likelihood theory of statistical inference. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Homework assignements, research paper (all graded)

     

    Tutorial

    This tutorial accompanies the course “Advanced Quantitative Methods” in Political Science. The lab sessions will focus on the practical issues associated with quantitative methods, including obtaining and preparing data sets, how to use statistical software, which tests to use for different kinds of problems, how to graph data effectively for presentation and analysis, and how to interpret results. The seminar will also serve as a software tutorial. No prior knowledge of statistical programming is expected.

    Schedule
    Tutorial
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 10:15 – 11:45 B 317 in A5, 6 entrance B
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 15:30 – 17:00 D007 in B6, 27–29
    Lecture
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Wednesday 08:30 – 10:00 B 244 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    RES: CDSS Workshop: Political Science
    2 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: RES
    Credits: 2
    Course Content

    Participation is mandatory for first to third year CDSS students of Political Science. Participation is recommended for later CDSS PhD candidates, but to no credit.

    Other young researchers in the social sciences affiliated with the University of Mannheim (incl. MZES and SFB 884) are also invited to attend the talks.

    The goal of this course is to provide support and crucial feedback for CDSS doctoral students on their ongoing dissertation project. In this workshop they are expected to play two roles – provide feedback to their peers as well as present their own work in order to receive feedback.

    In order to receive useful feedback, participants are asked to circulate their paper and two related published pieces of research one week before the talk.

    Schedule
    Workshop
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Wednesday 12:00 – 13:30 211 in B6, 30–32
    RES: English Academic Writing
    3 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: RES
    Credits: 3
    Prerequisites

    CSSR, Literature Review

    Course Content

    The goal of this course is to provide guidance and constructive feedback on writing academic papers in English. Each session will guide students through techniques for writing and/or revision of a paper or other similar document. Between sessions, students will apply techniques learnt to their own texts, receiving frequent feedback on their papers and tips on how to improve their writing. By the end of the course each participant will have improved at least one paper to a publishable standard and should be able to approach their next paper with greater confidence.

    Schedule
    Workshop
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 12:00 – 13:30 tbc Link
    RES: MZES B Colloquium “European Political Systems and their Integration”
    2 ECTS
    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: RES
    Credits: 2
    Course Content

    Please refer to the MZES webpages for dates and times.

    MET: 11th GESIS Summer School in Survey Methodology & GESIS Workshops
    up to 12 ECTS
    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: up to 12
    Prerequisites

    CDSS doctoral students have privileged access to the GESIS Summer School in Survey Methodology as well as GESIS workshops are exempt from course fees*.

    Contact the Center Manager before registering for any of the courses and only thereafter register directly through the GESIS web page making sure to mention that you are a CDSS doctoral student.

    The GESIS summer school takes place in Cologne from 4 to 26 August 2022. Detailed information about the summer school program is available on the GESIS website.

     

     

     

    *According to the provisions stated in §3 (5) of the GESIS CDSS cooperative treaty.

    MET: Computational Social Science: Theory Application
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    In the wake of the digital revolution, societies store an ever-increasing amount of data on humans and their behavior. In parallel, advances in computational power & methods allow for meaningful interpretations of such data. This enables social scientists to approach old questions with new methods, but also to study entirely new questions.
    The seminar introduces students to different aspects of this “big data revolution”. It comprises theoretical sessions in which discuss the implications such as the societal and scientific opportunities and challenges of new forms of data and methods (from social media, communications platforms, Internet of Things devices, sensors/wearables, and mobile phones, digitized old data records, machine learning). In addition, it comprises lab sessions in which we learn – hands-on – how such new forms of data can be captured, curated, and analyzed using computational methods. Students apply what they have learned in their own projects.  

    Course requirements & assessment

    • Participation
    • Weekly reading and preparation of materials and exercises
    • (Individual) Presentation of the planned term paper towards the end of the term
    • Written term paper (graded)
    Schedule
    Seminar
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:15 A 102 in B6, 23–25
    MET: Computational Text Analysis
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Quantitative Text Analysis and Natural Language Processing are rapidly becoming staple tools in social science.  The field is advancing rapidly, as new methods from computer science are spilling over and find application in traditional questions of political science, communication and sociology.

    This course gives an in-depth introduction to the core principles of text analysis, with a focus on the application of state of the art techniques in machine learning to individual research projects. Participants should be proficient in R, Python will be taught along the way.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Coursework (2 coding tasks and 1 final paper) can be handed in relating to data relevant to individual research questions.

    Schedule
    Seminar
    biweekly 25.02.22 – 03.06.22 Friday 13:45 – 17:00 tbc Link
    MET: Experimental Designs in the Social Sciences
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Experimental research designs are called the silver bullet or ‘Königsweg’ for causal identification. In recent years, the growing interest in causal identification and mechanism testing made experimental designs a regular empirical research tool in the social sciences – most recently in political science and sociology. This seminar shall give a broad overview of the range of experimental methods such as survey, field, lab-in-the-field, and laboratory experiments. We will discuss classical and recent work, including shortcomings and best practices like transparency (open science) and ethical considerations in experimental research methods. In addition, students will learn to think critically about different (experimental) research designs and design their own experiment to answer a research question they have developed. 

    Course requirements & assement

    Weekly preparation of two discussion-questions, one presentation (allocated text(s), discussion preparation), active participation in seminar, presentation of the Exposé of the seminar paper (graded (incl. peer-feedback)), research design seminar paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 15:30 – 17:00 A 102 in B6, 23–25
    MET: Longitudinal Data Analysis (Lecture + Tutorial)
    6+3 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)
    Frederic Gerdon

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6+3
    Course Content

    Lecture

    The course provides a broad overview over methods of longitudinal data analysis, with a focus on the analysis of panel data. Compared to cross-sectional data, panel data can allow to improve causal inference. The first objective of this course is to understand why and under which conditions this is the case. In the next step, we will discuss a variety of different modeling approaches to panel data (fixed effects, random effects, first difference) and learn how to decide between these models.

    It is highly recommended to participate in the parallel exercises to this lecture, in which the presented models  are applied to real datasets using the statistical programming language R. Although prior knowledge of R is not a prerequisite for attending the lecture/tutorial, we recommend that students without any knowledge of R work through one or more of the introductory R tutorials prior to or during the first weeks of the course. Some resources can be found here and we will point to additional resources during the first weeks of the course:  https://rstudio.cloud/learn/primers ; http://www.statmethods.net/ ; https://swirlstats.com/ ; https://datacamp.com"

    Tutorial

    Using R, we apply methods of longitudinal data analysis (especially first-difference-models and random/fixed effects-models) to real survey data. Although prior knowledge of R is not a prerequisite for attending the tutorial, we recommend that students without any knowledge of R work through one or more of the introductory R tutorials prior to or during the first weeks of the course. Some resources can be found here and we will point to additional resources during the first weeks of the course:  https://rstudio.cloud/learn/primers ; http://www.statmethods.net/ ; https://swirlstats.com/ ; https://datacamp.com

    Course requirements & assessment

    Successful participation in the tutorial (active participation, short oral presentation, short assignments (graded), written exam (graded)

    Schedule
    Tutorial
    15.02.22 – 31.05.22 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:00 A 103 in B6, 23–25 Link
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 10:15 – 11:45 Zoom Link
    Lecture
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 B 244 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    MET: Modelling Social Processes
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    This course provides an introduction to formal models in the social sciences. It discusses a series of basic prototypes which have proved to be important tools for theory construction in various fields. Relating to the general model of sociological explanation (‘Coleman boat’), the focus is on processes of the steps of (non-trivial) aggregation and on dynamics over time. Topics covered are, for example, exchange, strategic action, collective action and the evolution of cooperation, mobilisation, diffusion, or segregation. While most of the models and examples chosen might already be fairly well known, this course puts specific emphasis on explaining the math behind them in more detail than usual and on practically ‘playing around’ with the models. Thus, it will provide some expertise and training in general formal skills, such as game theory, difference equations, differential equations, and agent-based simulation. The aim is to enable participants in principle to modify, extend or combine existing models according to their own research questions.

     

    Course requirements & assessment

    Participation, homework, presentations, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 13:45 – 15:15 B 144 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    MET: Multilevel Modeling
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Prerequisites

    Regression analysis

    Course Content

    Multilevel modeling is used when observations on the individual level are nested in units of one or more higher levels (e.g. students in classes in schools). The course will cover the logic of multilevel modeling, its statistical background, and implementation with Stata. Applications will come from international comparative research treating countries as the higher level units. Data from the International Social Survey Program and the PIONEUR project (on intra-European migration) serve as examples. However, students are also encouraged to bring their own data.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Home assignments, presentation (graded)

    Literature

    • Goldstein, H. (2010). Multilevel Statistical Models (Fourth Edition). London: Arnold.
    • Hox, J. (2010). Multilevel Analysis: Techniques and Applications. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
    • Rabe-Hesketh, S. & Skrondal, A. (2012). Multilevel and Longitudinal Modeling Using Stata. 3nd Edition. College Station, TX: Stata Press.
    • Raudenbush, S. W. & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical Linear Models. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
    • Snijders, T. A. B. & Bosker, R. J. (2012). Multilevel Analysis. An Introduction to Basic and Advanced Multilevel Modelling. London: Sage.
    • StataCorp. (2017). Stata Multilevel Mixed-Effects. Reference Manual. Release 15. College Station, TX: Stata Press.
    Schedule
    Seminar
    16.02.22 – 16.03.22 Wednesday 13:45 – 17:00 Zoom Link
    04.05.22 Wednesday 13:45 – 17:00 B 318 in A5, 6 entrance A
    11.05.22 Wednesday 13:45 – 17:00 B 318 in A5, 6 entrance A
    MET: Questionnaire Design
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Surveys are a major data source for quantitative social science research. This graduate-level course will teach the fundamentals of questionnaire design for social science surveys. The course covers theoretical models of answering survey questions, the process of developing questions, and methods to evaluate the quality of questions. A special focus of the course will be on discussing sources of error that may be introduced by question design decisions. For illustration purposes and exercise, the course will draw on questions from large-scale surveys such as the German General Survey (ALLBUS), European Social Survey (ESS), European Values Study (EVS), and the German Socio-economic Panel (SOEP).

    Course requirements & assessment

    Active participation, homework assignments/oral presentations, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 13:45 – 15:15 A 102 in B6, 23–25
    MET/POL: Selected Topics in Comparative Politics: Formal Models in CP (and some in IR)
    8 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET/POL
    Credits: 8
    Prerequisites

    Topics covered in introductory Game Theory class

    Course Content

    This course is a continuation of the intro into Game Theory and surveys key applications of game theory with a particular emphasis on the link of theories, methods and empirics. Emphasis will be placed on prominent applications of those concepts in political science, in both comparative and international politics. Topics covered include electoral competition, delegation, political agency, governmental veto players, authoritarian politics, manipulation, war and crisis bargaining. While the focus is on understanding applied work, previous training in game theory is required. Students will build upon their previous game theory training to become informed consumers of scholarship utilizing the methodology and begin to learn how to apply game-theoretic logic to their own work. The course is partly taught from lecture notes, at other times students present a research paper and stimulate discussion in class.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Class discussion, paper presentation, participation, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Lecture
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 B 318 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    POL: Comparative Political Behavior
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: POL
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    The main goal of this lecture is to present an advanced introduction to theoretical approaches, key concepts, and substantive issues in comparative political behavior. Building on a multi-level perspective, it will provide an overview of key concepts and theories in the analysis of micro-level processes of political behavior that are embedded in and feed into macro-level processes. Capitalizing on this analytical perspective, the lecture will also address major changes in the relationship between societal and political processes and institutions.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Regular participation is recommended, mandatory reading, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Lecture
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 10:15 – 11:45 B 244 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    POL: International Political Economy
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: POL
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    This lecture offers an introduction to current research topics in the field of International Political Economy (IPE). It examines how international and domestic politics interact with global flows of goods, finance, and people across national borders. After introducing what it means to study IPE in the age of globalization, the course addresses four major themes of current IPE research. We will learn about internationale trade and the chances and challenges that come with the intensifying exchange of goods across the globe. Lectures on international finance will focus on how global financial flows interact with political and economic stability, instability, and crises. We will also focus on international development and will learn about patterns of global economic inequality and development aid. The lecture will also adress the role of international institutions for the globalized economy.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Active participation, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Lecture
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Wednesday 10:15 – 11:45 B 244 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    POL: Selected Topics in Comparative Politics: Limitless volatility? Studying stability and change in voting behavior
    8 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: POL
    Credits: 8
    Course Content

    Elections are key institutions in democracies and provide opportunities to bring about changes in the partisan balance which, in turn, can affect government policies. This seminar focuses on the analysis of changes in voting behavior at the individual and aggregate level. Thereby, it tackles questions such as how and why such changes occur or not. It will address key concepts and theories, substantive and methodological issues in the field. Students will review empirical studies in the field and prepare research papers in which they analyze specific questions using available data.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Active participation, oral presentation, regular attendance is recommended, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 13:45 – 15:15 B 317 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    POL: Selected Topics in International Politics: Global Inequality
    8 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: POL
    Credits: 8
    Course Content

    In this course, we study economic inequality from a political economy perspective. First, we will discuss various concepts of economic inequality and different ways to measure it. Then, we will investigate general trends in these various forms of economic inequality across the world. Second, we will discuss the scholarly literature on the determinants of economic inequality, focusing on both political and economic factors. In a third section, we will examine the literature on the implications of economic inequality as regards a variety of political and economic outcomes. The methodological focus of this seminar will be on quantative methods for causal inference.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Active participation, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    15.02.22 – 31.05.22 Tuesday 13:45 – 15:15 A 103, in B6, 23–25 Link
    RES (Bridge Course): New Perspectives on Economics and Politics
    5 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: RES (Bridge Course)
    Credits: 5
    Course Content

    We live in interesting times both, economically and politically. Many observers point to crises and uncertain developments in the economic and political world. Making sense of the nature of these challenges and pointing toward economic and political solutions for the future requires new perspectives. This is a course about the big and bold questions in economics and politics. How can or should economics and politics be organized to best serve society? What does it mean to put humans as they really are at the center of economic and political thinking? What role do morals and values, or dignity and respect, play for the way economics and politics work?

    We will try to come to grips with these questions by reading and discussing six key books on various new perspectives at the intersection between economics and politics. The aim of this course is to go as deep as we can and to get as much out of an in-class discussion of the material as possible. Willingness to acquire and read the books is a must. If you are unsure about whether or not you would want to take on the commitment of reading six books in one semester then this course is probably not the right one for you.

    Students need to be willing to read books, form their own opinions on them, and elaborate on and defend their own views in group discussions and a final essay.

    Learning outcomes: The aim of this course is to engage in intellectual dialogue, to develop a personal point of view on some of the central economic and political questions we face today, and to allow ourselves to think creatively, freely, and out of the box. After completing this course, students will have read important texts on new perspectives in economics and politics, they will have trained their ability to distill an own point of view from the writings of leading scientists, they will train their writing and discussion skills, and they will train to creatively apply what they have read in writing about the future of economics and politics in our society.

    For each session, students need to have read the respective book in advance. (Detailed schedule will be provided in an introductory session.)

    • Fukuyama, F. (2018). Identity: The demand for dignity and the politics of resentment. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
    • Sandel, M. J. (2020). The tyranny of merit: What’s become of the common good?. Penguin UK.
    • Goodhart, D. (2017). The road to somewhere: The populist revolt and the future of politics. Oxford University Press.
    • Rajan, R. (2019). The third pillar: How markets and the state leave the community behind. Penguin.
    • Haidt, J. (2012). The righteous mind: Why good people are divided by politics and religion. Vintage.
    • Bowles, S. (2016). The moral economy. Yale University Press

    Form of assessment: Essay 50 %, Class Participation 50 %

    Schedule
    Lecture
    Introductory Session 18.02.22 Friday 10:00 – 13:30 L 9, 1–2, room 409
    29.04.22 – 10.06.22 Friday 10:00 – 13:30 B6, 30–32 room 212/213
  • Psychology

    DIS: Dissertation Proposal Workshop
    2+8 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: DIS
    Credits: 2+8
    Prerequisites

    Crafting Social Science Research, Literature Review

    Course Content

    The goal of this course is to provide support and crucial feedback on writing students' dissertation proposal. Such a proposal is a research outline that delineates the doctoral thesis project, including the motivation for research question(s), the survey of the relevant theoretical and empirical contributions, the development of a theoretical framework, the specification of the methodology and planned empirical analysis.
    You should be prepared to address the following questions: What makes that an interesting question? Is it an important question? What contributions would this question and the answers make to the scholarly literature? What strategies are there to answer your research question(s)?

    Nota bene: Further meeting dates will be determined during the first session.

    Information on how to submit the dissertation proposal (8 ECTS) can be retrieved from the CDSS regulations section.

    Schedule
    Workshop
    1st meeting, further dates tbd 15.02.22 Tuesday 394066:15 – 11:45 tbc Link
    RES: AC3/BC4: Colloquia II
    2 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: RES
    Credits: 2
    Prerequisites

    TCBI, CSSR, Dissertation Proposal

    Course Content

    Please check with individual chairs in the Psychology department for dates and times of research colloquia.

    RES: CDSS Workshop: Research in Psychology
    2 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: RES
    Credits: 2
    Course Content

    Participation is mandatory for first to third year CDSS doctoral students of Psychology. Participation is recommended for later CDSS doctoral students, but to no credit.

    Research in Psychology: Research projects cognitive psychology and neuropsychology are planned, conducted, analyzed, and discussed.

    Application via 'Studierendenportal' is necessary to have access to the course material provided in ILIAS.

    Open office hours:
    Prof. Dr. Erdfelder: Thursday, 10.15h – 11.45h.


    Literature: References will be given during the course.

    Talk schedule

    Competences acquired

    Improvement in research skills and communication of research results.

    Schedule
    Workshop
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 C 217 in A5, 6 entrance C Link
    RES: English Academic Writing
    3 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: core course
    Course Number: RES
    Credits: 3
    Prerequisites

    CSSR, Literature Review

    Course Content

    The goal of this course is to provide guidance and constructive feedback on writing academic papers in English. Each session will guide students through techniques for writing and/or revision of a paper or other similar document. Between sessions, students will apply techniques learnt to their own texts, receiving frequent feedback on their papers and tips on how to improve their writing. By the end of the course each participant will have improved at least one paper to a publishable standard and should be able to approach their next paper with greater confidence.

    Schedule
    Workshop
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 12:00 – 13:30 tbc Link
    MET: 11th GESIS Summer School in Survey Methodology & GESIS Workshops
    up to 12 ECTS
    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: up to 12
    Prerequisites

    CDSS doctoral students have privileged access to the GESIS Summer School in Survey Methodology as well as GESIS workshops are exempt from course fees*.

    Contact the Center Manager before registering for any of the courses and only thereafter register directly through the GESIS web page making sure to mention that you are a CDSS doctoral student.

    The GESIS summer school takes place in Cologne from 4 to 26 August 2022. Detailed information about the summer school program is available on the GESIS website.

     

     

     

    *According to the provisions stated in §3 (5) of the GESIS CDSS cooperative treaty.

    MET: Advanced Quantitative Methods
    6+2 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)
    Oliver Rittmann
    Viktoriia Semenova

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6+2
    Prerequisites

    Knowledge of Multivariate Analysis

    Course Content

    The goal of this course is to provide an introduction into maximum-likelihood estimation.

    Students who wish to pass this course must complete homework assignments and produce a research paper. Participation in the tutorial session (2 ECTS) is mandatory for the assignments which complement the lecture (6 ECTS).

    Literature

    • Eliason, Scott R. 1993. Maximum Likelihood Estimation: Logic and Practice. Newbury Park: Sage.
    • Long, J. Scott. 1997. Regression Models for Categorical and Limited Dependent Variables. Newbury Park: Sage.
    • King, Gary. 2008. Unifying political methodology: the likelihood theory of statistical inference. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Homework assignements, research paper (all graded)

     

    Tutorial

    This tutorial accompanies the course “Advanced Quantitative Methods” in Political Science. The lab sessions will focus on the practical issues associated with quantitative methods, including obtaining and preparing data sets, how to use statistical software, which tests to use for different kinds of problems, how to graph data effectively for presentation and analysis, and how to interpret results. The seminar will also serve as a software tutorial. No prior knowledge of statistical programming is expected.

    Schedule
    Tutorial
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 10:15 – 11:45 B 317 in A5, 6 entrance B
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 15:30 – 17:00 D007 in B6, 27–29
    Lecture
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Wednesday 08:30 – 10:00 B 244 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    MET: Computational Social Science: Theory Application
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    In the wake of the digital revolution, societies store an ever-increasing amount of data on humans and their behavior. In parallel, advances in computational power & methods allow for meaningful interpretations of such data. This enables social scientists to approach old questions with new methods, but also to study entirely new questions.
    The seminar introduces students to different aspects of this “big data revolution”. It comprises theoretical sessions in which discuss the implications such as the societal and scientific opportunities and challenges of new forms of data and methods (from social media, communications platforms, Internet of Things devices, sensors/wearables, and mobile phones, digitized old data records, machine learning). In addition, it comprises lab sessions in which we learn – hands-on – how such new forms of data can be captured, curated, and analyzed using computational methods. Students apply what they have learned in their own projects.  

    Course requirements & assessment

    • Participation
    • Weekly reading and preparation of materials and exercises
    • (Individual) Presentation of the planned term paper towards the end of the term
    • Written term paper (graded)
    Schedule
    Seminar
    16.02.22 – 01.06.22 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:15 A 102 in B6, 23–25
    MET: Computational Text Analysis
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Quantitative Text Analysis and Natural Language Processing are rapidly becoming staple tools in social science.  The field is advancing rapidly, as new methods from computer science are spilling over and find application in traditional questions of political science, communication and sociology.

    This course gives an in-depth introduction to the core principles of text analysis, with a focus on the application of state of the art techniques in machine learning to individual research projects. Participants should be proficient in R, Python will be taught along the way.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Coursework (2 coding tasks and 1 final paper) can be handed in relating to data relevant to individual research questions.

    Schedule
    Seminar
    biweekly 25.02.22 – 03.06.22 Friday 13:45 – 17:00 tbc Link
    MET: Experimental Designs in the Social Sciences
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Experimental research designs are called the silver bullet or ‘Königsweg’ for causal identification. In recent years, the growing interest in causal identification and mechanism testing made experimental designs a regular empirical research tool in the social sciences – most recently in political science and sociology. This seminar shall give a broad overview of the range of experimental methods such as survey, field, lab-in-the-field, and laboratory experiments. We will discuss classical and recent work, including shortcomings and best practices like transparency (open science) and ethical considerations in experimental research methods. In addition, students will learn to think critically about different (experimental) research designs and design their own experiment to answer a research question they have developed. 

    Course requirements & assement

    Weekly preparation of two discussion-questions, one presentation (allocated text(s), discussion preparation), active participation in seminar, presentation of the Exposé of the seminar paper (graded (incl. peer-feedback)), research design seminar paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 15:30 – 17:00 A 102 in B6, 23–25
    MET: Longitudinal Data Analysis (Lecture + Tutorial)
    6+3 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)
    Frederic Gerdon

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6+3
    Course Content

    Lecture

    The course provides a broad overview over methods of longitudinal data analysis, with a focus on the analysis of panel data. Compared to cross-sectional data, panel data can allow to improve causal inference. The first objective of this course is to understand why and under which conditions this is the case. In the next step, we will discuss a variety of different modeling approaches to panel data (fixed effects, random effects, first difference) and learn how to decide between these models.

    It is highly recommended to participate in the parallel exercises to this lecture, in which the presented models  are applied to real datasets using the statistical programming language R. Although prior knowledge of R is not a prerequisite for attending the lecture/tutorial, we recommend that students without any knowledge of R work through one or more of the introductory R tutorials prior to or during the first weeks of the course. Some resources can be found here and we will point to additional resources during the first weeks of the course:  https://rstudio.cloud/learn/primers ; http://www.statmethods.net/ ; https://swirlstats.com/ ; https://datacamp.com"

    Tutorial

    Using R, we apply methods of longitudinal data analysis (especially first-difference-models and random/fixed effects-models) to real survey data. Although prior knowledge of R is not a prerequisite for attending the tutorial, we recommend that students without any knowledge of R work through one or more of the introductory R tutorials prior to or during the first weeks of the course. Some resources can be found here and we will point to additional resources during the first weeks of the course:  https://rstudio.cloud/learn/primers ; http://www.statmethods.net/ ; https://swirlstats.com/ ; https://datacamp.com

    Course requirements & assessment

    Successful participation in the tutorial (active participation, short oral presentation, short assignments (graded), written exam (graded)

    Schedule
    Tutorial
    15.02.22 – 31.05.22 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:00 A 103 in B6, 23–25 Link
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 10:15 – 11:45 Zoom Link
    Lecture
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 B 244 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    MET: Modelling Social Processes
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    This course provides an introduction to formal models in the social sciences. It discusses a series of basic prototypes which have proved to be important tools for theory construction in various fields. Relating to the general model of sociological explanation (‘Coleman boat’), the focus is on processes of the steps of (non-trivial) aggregation and on dynamics over time. Topics covered are, for example, exchange, strategic action, collective action and the evolution of cooperation, mobilisation, diffusion, or segregation. While most of the models and examples chosen might already be fairly well known, this course puts specific emphasis on explaining the math behind them in more detail than usual and on practically ‘playing around’ with the models. Thus, it will provide some expertise and training in general formal skills, such as game theory, difference equations, differential equations, and agent-based simulation. The aim is to enable participants in principle to modify, extend or combine existing models according to their own research questions.

     

    Course requirements & assessment

    Participation, homework, presentations, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 13:45 – 15:15 B 144 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    MET: Multilevel Modeling
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Prerequisites

    Regression analysis

    Course Content

    Multilevel modeling is used when observations on the individual level are nested in units of one or more higher levels (e.g. students in classes in schools). The course will cover the logic of multilevel modeling, its statistical background, and implementation with Stata. Applications will come from international comparative research treating countries as the higher level units. Data from the International Social Survey Program and the PIONEUR project (on intra-European migration) serve as examples. However, students are also encouraged to bring their own data.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Home assignments, presentation (graded)

    Literature

    • Goldstein, H. (2010). Multilevel Statistical Models (Fourth Edition). London: Arnold.
    • Hox, J. (2010). Multilevel Analysis: Techniques and Applications. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
    • Rabe-Hesketh, S. & Skrondal, A. (2012). Multilevel and Longitudinal Modeling Using Stata. 3nd Edition. College Station, TX: Stata Press.
    • Raudenbush, S. W. & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical Linear Models. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
    • Snijders, T. A. B. & Bosker, R. J. (2012). Multilevel Analysis. An Introduction to Basic and Advanced Multilevel Modelling. London: Sage.
    • StataCorp. (2017). Stata Multilevel Mixed-Effects. Reference Manual. Release 15. College Station, TX: Stata Press.
    Schedule
    Seminar
    16.02.22 – 16.03.22 Wednesday 13:45 – 17:00 Zoom Link
    04.05.22 Wednesday 13:45 – 17:00 B 318 in A5, 6 entrance A
    11.05.22 Wednesday 13:45 – 17:00 B 318 in A5, 6 entrance A
    MET: Questionnaire Design
    6 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET
    Credits: 6
    Course Content

    Surveys are a major data source for quantitative social science research. This graduate-level course will teach the fundamentals of questionnaire design for social science surveys. The course covers theoretical models of answering survey questions, the process of developing questions, and methods to evaluate the quality of questions. A special focus of the course will be on discussing sources of error that may be introduced by question design decisions. For illustration purposes and exercise, the course will draw on questions from large-scale surveys such as the German General Survey (ALLBUS), European Social Survey (ESS), European Values Study (EVS), and the German Socio-economic Panel (SOEP).

    Course requirements & assessment

    Active participation, homework assignments/oral presentations, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 13:45 – 15:15 A 102 in B6, 23–25
    MET/POL: Selected Topics in Comparative Politics: Formal Models in CP (and some in IR)
    8 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET/POL
    Credits: 8
    Prerequisites

    Topics covered in introductory Game Theory class

    Course Content

    This course is a continuation of the intro into Game Theory and surveys key applications of game theory with a particular emphasis on the link of theories, methods and empirics. Emphasis will be placed on prominent applications of those concepts in political science, in both comparative and international politics. Topics covered include electoral competition, delegation, political agency, governmental veto players, authoritarian politics, manipulation, war and crisis bargaining. While the focus is on understanding applied work, previous training in game theory is required. Students will build upon their previous game theory training to become informed consumers of scholarship utilizing the methodology and begin to learn how to apply game-theoretic logic to their own work. The course is partly taught from lecture notes, at other times students present a research paper and stimulate discussion in class.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Class discussion, paper presentation, participation, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Lecture
    14.02.22 – 30.05.22 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 B 318 in A5, 6 entrance B Link
    MET/PSY: Psychological interventions using diary designs
    4 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: MET/PSY
    Credits: 4
    Course Content

    During recent years interventions using diary methods became increasingly popular within several fields of psychology, including health psychology and organizational psychology. These interventions use „intensive longitudinal designs“ to apply the treatment and to assess the data and build on daily-survey approaches that aim at „capturing life as it is lived” (Bolger, Davis, Rafaeli, 2003, p. 579). Frequent assessments typically implemented in daily-survey approaches allow for modeling change in affect, attitude, and behavior over time.
    In this course we will discuss the nature of diary interventions, the research options they offer, as well as potential problems and challenges.

    Literature (a more comprehensive list will be available in the first meeting)

    Bolger, N., Davis, A., & Rafaeli, E. (2003). Diary methods: Capturing life as it is lived. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 579–616.
    Lischetzke, T., Reis, D., & Arndt, C. (2015). Data-analytic strategies for examining the effectiveness of daily interventions. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 88, 587–622. doi:10.1111/joop.12104

    Course requirements & assessment

    Participation, presentation, term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    17.02.22 – 02.06.22 Thursday 17:15 – 18:45 Zoom
    PSY: Research in Clinical Psychology
    4 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: PSY
    Credits: 4
    Course Content

    We invite CDSS doctoral candidates to discuss their research with experts in the field. The chair of Clinical Psychology and Biological Psychology and Psychotherapy pursues a wide range of topics and brings together a large spectrum of research approaches. We address open questions regarding each step of creative research and prolific publication of our scientific results. Each week we select one or two of our own projects for discussion.

    Schedule
    Seminar
    15.02.22 – 31.05.22 Tuesday 09:00 – 10:00 tbc
    PSY: Train the trainer
    4 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: PSY
    Credits: 4
    Course Content

    This seminar provides an introduction to training practices in the field of work and organizational psychology. Based on the behavior modeling training approach, the students develop a training concept which they then carry out and evaluate in practice. This enables the students to gain their first practical experience in the training field.

    The working methods used include: Independent reading of literature, group work, design and holding of a training course, training evaluation.

    Course requirements & assessment

    Active participation (including participation in the training of the other group)
    Development of a training module, practical implementation and evaluation
    Written elaboration on the training (deriving the learning points, evaluation, personal
     reflection)
    Written term paper (graded)

    Schedule
    Seminar
    14.02.22 – 16.05.22 Monday 13:45 – 15:15 C 112 in A5, 6 entrance C
    21.05.22 Saturday 10:00 – 15:00 C 112 in A5, 6 entrance C
    28.05.22 Saturday 10:00 – 15:00 C 112 in A5, 6 entrance C
    RES (Bridge Course): New Perspectives on Economics and Politics
    5 ECTS
    Lecturer(s)

    Course Type: elective course
    Course Number: RES (Bridge Course)
    Credits: 5
    Course Content

    We live in interesting times both, economically and politically. Many observers point to crises and uncertain developments in the economic and political world. Making sense of the nature of these challenges and pointing toward economic and political solutions for the future requires new perspectives. This is a course about the big and bold questions in economics and politics. How can or should economics and politics be organized to best serve society? What does it mean to put humans as they really are at the center of economic and political thinking? What role do morals and values, or dignity and respect, play for the way economics and politics work?

    We will try to come to grips with these questions by reading and discussing six key books on various new perspectives at the intersection between economics and politics. The aim of this course is to go as deep as we can and to get as much out of an in-class discussion of the material as possible. Willingness to acquire and read the books is a must. If you are unsure about whether or not you would want to take on the commitment of reading six books in one semester then this course is probably not the right one for you.

    Students need to be willing to read books, form their own opinions on them, and elaborate on and defend their own views in group discussions and a final essay.

    Learning outcomes: The aim of this course is to engage in intellectual dialogue, to develop a personal point of view on some of the central economic and political questions we face today, and to allow ourselves to think creatively, freely, and out of the box. After completing this course, students will have read important texts on new perspectives in economics and politics, they will have trained their ability to distill an own point of view from the writings of leading scientists, they will train their writing and discussion skills, and they will train to creatively apply what they have read in writing about the future of economics and politics in our society.

    For each session, students need to have read the respective book in advance. (Detailed schedule will be provided in an introductory session.)

    • Fukuyama, F. (2018). Identity: The demand for dignity and the politics of resentment. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
    • Sandel, M. J. (2020). The tyranny of merit: What’s become of the common good?. Penguin UK.
    • Goodhart, D. (2017). The road to somewhere: The populist revolt and the future of politics. Oxford University Press.
    • Rajan, R. (2019). The third pillar: How markets and the state leave the community behind. Penguin.
    • Haidt, J. (2012). The righteous mind: Why good people are divided by politics and religion. Vintage.
    • Bowles, S. (2016). The moral economy. Yale University Press

    Form of assessment: Essay 50 %, Class Participation 50 %

    Schedule
    Lecture
    Introductory Session 18.02.22 Friday 10:00 – 13:30 L 9, 1–2, room 409
    29.04.22 – 10.06.22 Friday 10:00 – 13:30 B6, 30–32 room 212/213