Summer School in Mixed Methods: a training opportunity in cutting-edge methodologies in the discipline

This EVMM was coordinated by academics Carla Alberti, IMFD researcher, and Catherine Reyes-Housholder, who emphasize that the purpose of this event was to bring together UNDERGRADUATE graduates, graduate students, and academics from different Latin American countries with backgrounds in the social sciences and humanities.

"This space allowed us to promote the creation of academic networks and improve each participant's research projects through feedback from teachers and peers,"said the EVMM 2024 coordinators.

In terms of guests, this edition featured prominent international speakers such asErik Voeten (Georgetown University), Lenka Bustikova(University of Florida),Jason Seawright (Northwestern University),Jennifer Cyr (Torcuato Di Tella University), andVerónica Pérez-Betancur(University of the Republic), who gave talks on various research methods, including experiments, archival material, big data, process tracing, focus groups, and fieldwork.

Professor Catherine Reyes-Houshsolder noted that students showed great interest in several of the School's techniques and workshops: "There was considerable interest in the modules on how to combine different methods to answer a single research question. Jason Seawright gave a presentation on innovations in mixed methods, showcasing some techniques he has been developing."

"They were also interested in how to conduct interviews and focus groups with Jennifer Cyr, in particular. Many students have conducted interviews, but how to conduct interviews systematically, how interviews differ from focus groups,"she added.

Like our guests, our attendees also came from different Latin American countries. One of them was Felipe Murillo Carvajal, from EAFIT University in Colombia, who said he found out about the EVMM through two channels: "first, through colleagues who had attended the School, and second, through social media. I follow the Institute of Political Science and saw on social media that it was going to be held again. I was interested in attending because today Political Science has a huge need for methods, both quantitative methods, which are currently experiencing a much greaterboom, but also qualitative methods and, above all, the need to know how to combine these methods, clearly understanding their limitations and advantages," he said.

Bruno Rojas, Master student the University of Chile who applied for the VioDemos scholarship, also found out about the call for applications through social media and coworkers. He said that the topics covered in the EVMM have been very useful to him: "I think it has been a very well-organized school, very well thought out in terms of being able to observe different methods and learn different tools. To a certain extent, it leaves you with the cutting-edge methodologies of each field and also gives you a well-integrated view of very different methods: thinking about experiments, ethnographic methodology, interview methodology, high-level quantitative analysis methodology (...)".

Andrea Freites, a student in our ICP doctoral program, learned about this eighth edition of the EVMM because she became familiar with the School while pursuing her master's degree: "Since then, I have been eager to participate in it. And now that I am a student at the Institute, I learned that this learning opportunity was coming back, and I signed up to participate without hesitation."

"The learning experience has been very enriching. I have had the opportunity to deepen the knowledge I have already acquired throughout my doctoral studies. Hearing firsthand from the leading exponents of the methods we are studying at school, for example, Jason Seawrigth, among others, and the professors at the Institute of Political Science, has also allowed me to try to identify the methods I would like to develop when writing my doctoral thesis," he said.

Skarlet Olivera, Master student the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, who applied through the ALACIP (Latin American Political Science Association) scholarship: "Some colleagues and professors spread the word in a research group I am part of." Similarly, Analía Orr, researcher, professor, political scientist, member of the Network of Women Political Scientists, and doctoral student in Political Science at USAM (National University of San Martin), learned about the School from colleagues in the Network of Women Political Scientists: "It really is a very comprehensive and interesting program, and innovative as well, so I didn't hesitate to sign up."

"The school provides in-depth knowledge and updates on different methods that complement any doctoral course, but also allows us to focus intensively on the methods and techniques we need for our own research. It helps us carry out our own projects and is also designed to be very interactive," added Analía.

Regarding the objectives and challenges that Professor Catherine has set for the ninth edition, she indicated that they are looking to attract more students from across Chile and from a variety of disciplines. "We would like to welcome more postgraduate students from across Chile, not only from political science, but also from related disciplines such as sociology, psychology, economics, etc. Disciplines where the use of different techniques to answer research questions is valued. We would also like to have different modules that address topics that we were unable to cover this time around and to offer lessons on the latest technologies in mixed methods again."

"But overall, I think the School was a great success this year, and we hope to do another one next year and that it will be as successful as this one," he concluded.

Source: Communications Department, Institute of Political Science