"Doing Research is a gem. It provides multiple research methods and models focusing on conflict analysis and
resolution that can be used by any student in a variety of social science disciplines or fields of study. I wish
this book had been written 20 years ago."
--Brian Polkinghorn, Salisbury State University
"Doing Research is the most widely acclaimed book on research methods for conflict resolution students to appear
in recent years. The book makes a unique contribution to the conflict resolution field by providing a comprehensive
overview of the cutting edge methodological approaches in the field. The book provides a wonderfully rich array
of ideas about ways to do research for both the scholar and practitioner--pracademic--enriching the analysis and
practice in the conflict resolution field. The author of a diverse intellectual background and experiences bases
his contribution to the course on conflict analysis and resolution theory, and empirical evidence experience. He
makes a highly valuable contribution to applying multi-methods to concrete examples from the conflict resolution
field."
--Sean Byrne, University of Manitoba
Publisher Web Site, April, 2005
Summary
Doing Research: Methods of Inquiry for Conflict Analysis is the first research methods text devoted to conflict
analysis and resolution. It begins with a discussion of the philosophical foundations for doing research, providing
guidelines on how to develop research questions and how these questions can be addressed with various methodologies.
The book presents a wide-ranging treatment of both quantitative and qualitative approaches to the design and analysis
of problems of conflict.
The approaches covered include experiments, simulations and models, surveys, single and comparative case studies,
ethnographies, content analysis, narrative analysis, evaluation research, action research, and research consulting.
These approaches come alive in a variety of applications culled from the published literature. A concluding chapter
provides an integration of the various methodologies, including their complementary strengths. Throughout the book,
author Daniel Druckman illustrates the value of a multi-method approach to doing research on conflict analysis
and more generally across the social sciences.
Key Features
Guides readers through how to do literature reviews and ask research questions, easing students into the research
process
Weaves together qualitative and quantitative, as well as deductive and inductive, approaches to analysis, allowing
for the widest possible diversity in methodology
Includes numerous examples from published articles and dissertations and a discussion of research consulting
Doing Research is perfectly suited as a text for research methods courses across the social sciences, especially
those dealing with conflict analysis in departments of political science, communication, psychology, sociology,
and management. Professional researchers and consultants will also want to add this book to their libraries for
guidance on multi-method techniques.
Table of Contents
Doing Research on Conflict
Performing Experiments
Designing and Conducting Surveys
Doing Case-Based Research
Writing Ethnographies
Analyzing Documents: Texts and Process Analysis
Evaluating Interventions and Applying Research
Concluding
