Berlin Summer School in Social Sciences – Linking Theory and Empirical Research

The summer school uses these recent innovative efforts as a starting point for its endeavor to sensitize the participants to the underlying epistemological, ontological and methodological commitments which theoretical perspectives transport into empirical research. By focusing on the link between theory and empirical data it takes up questions concerning the nature of explanation in social sciences, the use and construction of theoretical concepts and their role in the research process, and the respective values of micro- and macro-perspectives on social reality including the potentials and pitfalls of their combination. In addition, the summer school aims at applying these reflections to exemplary empirical fields in political science and sociology in order to transfer the general methodological considerations into the concrete research practices of the participants. Thereby, special emphasis is giving to the advancement of the research designs of the current projects of the participants.

For more information see: Berlin Summer School in Social Sciences