About Module 2: Social Science Approaches to Reading Cultural Landscapes I
Module progress
Social science is the branch of science devoted to the study of human societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of society", established in the nineteenth century. In addition to sociology, it now encompasses a wide array of academic disciplines, including anthropology, archaeology, economics, human geography, linguistics, management science, media studies, musicology, political science, psychology, and social history. Positivist social scientists use methods resembling those of the natural sciences as tools for understanding society, and so define science in its stricter modern sense. Interpretivist social scientists, by contrast, may use social critique or symbolic interpretation rather than constructing empirically falsifiable theories, and thus treat science in its broader sense. In modern academic practice, researchers are often eclectic, using multiple methodologies such as by combining both quantitative and qualitative research. The term "social research" has also acquired a degree of autonomy as practitioners from various disciplines share in its aims and methods.
Module 2 Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
- Explain key methods in Geographical Research
- Identify Social Systems thinking about identity
- Evaluate how to interpret landscapes
- Describe what to do when interviewing people
Module 2 Checklist
Questions?
Remember to Ask Course Questions Here, or for personal matters send an email to your instructor at bstiefel@tulane.edu.
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