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Scopes and Methods

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This course is mandatory for international politics majors, exposing students to social scientists' perspectives, arguments, and methods for studying politics and society. It covers quantitative and qualitative methodologies used in generating, analyzing, and critiquing political findings. The course emphasizes critical evaluation of truth claims and the importance of developing skepticism towards truth claims. It emphasizes that social and political facts are not the same, and researchers' backgrounds and identities can impact findings. Despite flaws in even the strongest arguments, students can still distinguish between more and less believable ones.