TLÜ ÕIS

Philosophy and Methodology of Social Sciences

Course code

RII8001.YK

old course code

RII8001

Course title in Estonian

Sotsiaalteaduste filosoofia ja metodoloogia

Course title in English

Philosophy and Methodology of Social Sciences

ECTS credits

6.0

Assessment form

Examination

lecturer of 2023/2024 Spring semester

Peeter Selg (language of instruction:English)

lecturer of 2024/2025 Autumn semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Course aims

• To deepen the knowledge about the meta-theoretical foundations of the major theoretical approaches in the social sciences.
• To deepen knowledge about the relation between methods and methodology.
• To deepen knowledge about the relation between methodology, epistemology, and ontology
• To deepen the knowledge about the relation of the social sciences with natural sciences and the humanities.

Brief description of the course

The content of the notions of methods, methodology, epistemology and ontology. Analytic and continental traditions in the philosophy of the social sciences.
Positivist and post-positivist phylosophy of the social sciences: classical and contemproary debates: from naïve inductivism to falsificationism; paradigms and research programs.
Interpretive social science as an alternative to positivism: classical and contemporary debates; social sciences’ link to natural sciences and the humanities.
Critical theory and the social sciences: contemporary and classical debates. From the Frankfurt school to post-structuralism. The relationship between analysis and critique in the social sciences. Genealogical tradition in the humanities and the social sciences.
Variations of rational choice theory: from economic theories to institutionalism
The “relational turn” in the social sciences: relational and substantialist approaches in the social sciences – classical and contemporary debates. Causal and constitutvie analysis. Anglo-American and Continental relationalism.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- has advanced level knowledge about the meta-theoretical foundations of the major theoretical approaches in the social sciences;
- has advanced level of knowledge about the relation between methods and methodology;
- has advanced level of knowledge about the relation between methodology, epistemology, and ontology;
- has advanced level of knowledge about the relation of the social sciences with natural sciences and the humanities.

Teacher

Rein Ruutsoo, Peeter Selg

Study programmes containing that course