Max Bergman is Head of Research Projects and Methodology at the Swiss Information and Data Archive Service for the Social and Political Sciences (SIDOS) and Affiliated University Lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Cambridge. He has held other teaching posts at the Universities of Florence (European University Institute), Geneva, Lausanne, St. Gall and Zurich, as well as the Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis and Collection. His current research interests can be divided into two main areas: the study of social inequality, particularly as it relates to identity and intergroup relations, which includes issues relating to social exclusion and acculturation. Second, qualitative and quantitative research methodology, focussing in particular on conceptualisation, measurement, and data theory. Issues relating to reliability and validity in mixed methods designs and from a cross-cultural/comparative perspective are of particular interest.
The aim of this workshop is to examine in detail different aspects of interview strategies and data analysis techniques, including: the variations, possibilities, and limits of interviewing techniques; assumptions and biases during the interview process, especially in relation to sampling and reporting biases; construction of an interview schedule from a research question; question and interview schedule design; reliability and validity issues relating to the interviewing process; analysis of interview material with an emphasis on coding frames and interpretive methods; interviewing within in a mixed methods research design; strategies of reporting research results from interviews for scientific and other professional publications.
Throughout the week, daily exercises on how to collect and analyse interview material will be an important part of the lectures. The participants are furthermore invited to bring their own data to the summer school, and will have a chance to work on their project during the course.
Basic text/overview
No particular prerequisites are required. However, a background in the social or political sciences and preparatory readings are highly recommended (see bibliography).