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77769-01 - Seminar: Qualitative Approaches to Political Repression (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Shrey Kapoor (shrey.kapoor@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This seminar introduces students to qualitative research approaches for studying political repression, with a particular focus on its everyday practices, mechanisms, and transnational extensions. Political repression refers to the diverse ways in which states and other powerful actors constrain political participation, dissent, and collective action through coercive, legal, administrative, and informal means. While often studied through large-N datasets and cross-national indicators, repression also operates through granular practices that require qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to capture. The course combines conceptual grounding with methodological training. Students will be introduced to different qualitative approaches to studying repression, including interviews with sensitive populations, network analysis, digital and remote methods, and open-source intelligence (OSINT). Special attention is paid to ethical and security challenges, particularly when researching authoritarian contexts, diaspora communities, and digitally mediated forms of repression. The seminar is aimed at: a) students interested in political repression and authoritarian practices b) students seeking training in qualitative and digital research methods c) students interested in innovative remote methods for studying hard-to-access phenomena By the end of the course, students will be able to design a methodologically coherent research project on political repression, justify their choice of units of analysis and methods, and reflect critically on ethical, security, and epistemological challenges. |
| Learning objectives | By the end of this course, students will be able to: Conceptual understanding Explain core concepts and debates in the study of political repression, including how repression differs from related phenomena such as violence, authoritarianism, and coercion, and how transnational repression fits within broader repertoires of control. Methodological literacy Identify and critically assess different qualitative approaches to studying political repression, including interviews, network analysis, digital methods, and open-source intelligence, and understand the tradeoffs involved in each approach. Units of analysis and research design Select and justify appropriate units of analysis for studying political repression, and distinguish between large-N approaches and small-N, process-oriented qualitative designs. Ethics and research security Recognize and evaluate ethical, security, and positionality-related challenges involved in researching sensitive topics and vulnerable populations, and incorporate risk-aware strategies into research designs. Digital and remote research skills Apply basic digital and remote research techniques, including OSINT-based methods, to collect, verify, and triangulate data in contexts where direct access is limited or risky. Analytical integration Integrate multiple sources of qualitative evidence into a coherent analytical framework, and reflect on the limits and uncertainties of qualitative knowledge production in repressive contexts. Independent research planning Develop a feasible and methodologically coherent research design on a case of political repression, clearly articulating research questions, methodological choices, and anticipated challenges. |
| Comments | Alle Seminare im Fach Politikwissenschaft werden benotet. Notenskala 6.0 bis 1.0, wobei 4.0 genügend (Bestanden) ist. Die Teilnehmerzahl ist aus Gründen der Qualitätssicherung der Lehre beschränkt. Bei Überbuchung haben Studierende der Politikwissenschaft und Soziologie Vorrang. Selektion nach Belegungsdatum. |
| Admission requirements | Alle Seminare im Fach Politikwissenschaft werden benotet. Notenskala 6.0 bis 1.0, wobei 4.0 genügend (Bestanden) ist. Die Teilnehmerzahl ist aus Gründen der Qualitätssicherung der Lehre beschränkt. Bei Überbuchung haben Studierende der Politikwissenschaft und Soziologie Vorrang. Selektion nach Belegungsdatum. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Monday | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 16.02.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 23.02.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Fasnachtsferien |
| Monday 02.03.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 09.03.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 16.03.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 23.03.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 30.03.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 06.04.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Ostern |
| Monday 13.04.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 20.04.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 27.04.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 04.05.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 11.05.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 18.05.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Monday 25.05.2026 | 10.15-11.45 | Pfingstmontag |
| Modules |
Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Methoden der Soziologie und der Gesellschaftswissenschaften (Bachelor's degree subject: Sociology) Modul: Regionaler Fokus B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Vertiefung Politikwissenschaft B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | The course is assessed on the basis of a cumulative research design concept note. Over the course of the semester, students will develop a qualitative research design on a specific case of political repression through a series of short, cumulative submissions. These intermediate steps are intended to support students in developing a coherent and feasible research design and will receive formative feedback. They must be completed in order to pass the course. The final submission consists of a written concept note of approximately 4,000 words. The focus is on methodological planning and critical reflection rather than empirical execution. The final concept note should include the following components: a) Case definition and research question description of the selected case of political repression, identification of key actors, practices, and relevant spatial or institutional contexts, clear formulation of the research question(s), and justification of the case selection. b) Analytical framework and units of analysis specification of the main units of analysis (e.g. events, practices, networks, institutions), discussion of how these units will be identified and studied, and reflection on analytical boundaries and access constraints. c) Data collection strategy description of the primary qualitative methods to be used (e.g. interviews, network analysis, digital or remote methods), sampling and access strategies, development of an interview or data collection plan, and discussion of ethical and security considerations. d) Triangulation, limitations, and risks strategy for combining and triangulating different sources of qualitative evidence, use of digital methods and OSINT where appropriate, discussion of verification challenges, and reflection on methodological limits and potential risks. The final concept note will be assessed based on conceptual clarity, methodological coherence, feasibility, and critical engagement with ethical and security issues. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Politikwissenschaft |