Workshop: Quantitative Methodology in memory studies: Epistemology and Techniques

Rethinking Memory Studies/ Global Perspectives

Memories, Commemorations and Structural Violence/Inequality

Workshop: Quantitative Methodology in memory studies: Epistemology and Techniques

Date: 3^rd September, 2018

Time: 10 am – 4 pm

Place: Birzeit University (Exact room will be sent to participants upon their registration)

Presenters:

Mai Albzour: Birzeit University, Palestine

Zacharia Bady: University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Goal and general description:

The general aim of the workshop is to provide a practically-oriented introduction to quantitative methods for social sciences. Rather than giving a detailed overview of study designs and statistical methods, the workshop will attempt to give participants a sense of whether and how quantitative methods might be useful for their own research interests and what using them might look like in practice. For this purpose, the discussion will be organized around three main points: (1) what is the added value of quantitative methods, and what are the costs of using them, (2) what the main steps of empirical research (and main concepts), (3) how to do quantitate research in practice.

Organization:

10 am – 12 pm: Session 1: General introduction

1. Discussion of some general epistemological tenets, advantages and costs of quantitative methods in the social sciences.
2. Introduction to methodological concepts relating to operationalization (i.e. going from theoretical reasoning to empirical measures and study design), data analysis and statistical inference.

1 pm- 1:50 pm: Break

2 pm – 4 pm: Session 2: Practical application

3. Practical exercise: we will introduce a research question (related to memories), data relevant to that question, and an analytical procedure. Each participant will then go through the different steps of data analysis in order to answer the question using the SPSS software.
4. Open discussion: clarifications and possible uses for the participants.

Note I: The workshop will be in both English and Arabic

Note II: Registration is required by e-mail: [email protected] no later than 15^th August, 2018