BMET 23A27 - Quantitative Methods for Security Studies

This workshop offers an advanced introduction to quantitative methods in Security Studies. Across 12 sessions, students learn how to identify, collect, structure, analyse and interpret data on armed conflict, political violence, non-state actors and institutional responses. The course is organised in four parts: a conceptual and methodological toolbox; empirical case studies on disputes, armed groups and micro-level violence; text-as-data approaches, including classification, framing analysis, topic modelling and semantic scaling; and a research-design lab. In the final part, students develop group and individual research designs through in-class workshops, Q&A sessions, presentations and feedback rounds, up to the design stage and without conducting the full empirical analysis.

No prior programming experience is required. Students should bring a laptop. Installing R and RStudio is recommended, and access to a Google account / Google Colab should be checked before the first session. No compulsory preparatory readings are required.

• Class participation 10%

Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions, contribute to collective reflections on readings and examples, and engage in Q&A sessions following lectures and presentations.

• Group research design lab and presentation 30%

Students will work in small groups to develop a research design on a topic of their choice. This assessment combines in-class group work during the research-design lab and the group presentation. Each group is expected to define a research puzzle, research question, hypotheses, theoretical expectations, unit of analysis, data strategy, methods and potential limitations. Assessment will focus on the quality of in-class collaboration, coherence of the research design, clarity of presentation, and ability to respond to feedback.

• Individual research design development and presentation 30%

Students will develop an individual research design throughout the interactive lab sessions. This assessment is based on work carried out in class and on the individual oral presentation. Students are expected to progressively refine their research question, hypotheses, concepts, operationalisation, data sources, methodological choices and limitations. Assessment will focus on the coherence, feasibility and methodological robustness of the proposed design, as well as on the clarity of the presentation and engagement with feedback.

• Final individual research design paper 30%

Students will submit a short written research design based on the tools and concepts discussed in class. The paper should include a research puzzle, research question, hypotheses, theoretical framework, methodology, data sources, and a brief discussion of limitations. This written assignment consolidates the work developed during the in-class labs and presentations.