Introduction to the 4Introduction to the 4thth Biennial Biennial LSE Ph.D SymposiumLSE Ph.D Symposium

Kevin FeatherstoneKevin Featherstone

Director, Hellenic ObservatoryDirector, Hellenic Observatory

LSELSE

What’s going to happen…What’s going to happen…

Plenary lectures: reviewing key subject Plenary lectures: reviewing key subject areas, stimulating debate. Q&A.areas, stimulating debate. Q&A.

Panel Meetings: your presentations & Panel Meetings: your presentations & feedback in specialist groups.feedback in specialist groups.

Lunch: you’re free to choose where…Lunch: you’re free to choose where… Tonight: reception & book launch, 7.15pm in Tonight: reception & book launch, 7.15pm in

SDR: 5SDR: 5thth Floor, Old Building. Floor, Old Building. Check with information desk volunteers…Check with information desk volunteers…

Organisation:Organisation:

Special thanks to:Special thanks to:

Ms. Eleni Xiarchogiannopoulou,Ms. Eleni Xiarchogiannopoulou,

Symposium Convenor, HO.Symposium Convenor, HO.

Dr. Spyros Economides,Dr. Spyros Economides,

Deputy Director, HO.Deputy Director, HO.

And colleagues, volunteers.And colleagues, volunteers.

What you can expect:What you can expect:

Interesting lectures, opportunity to meet Interesting lectures, opportunity to meet fellow PhD students in your area, staff.fellow PhD students in your area, staff.

Afterwards: go to Hellenic Observatory Afterwards: go to Hellenic Observatory webpage for more information, mailings.webpage for more information, mailings.

Panels: presentation of (part of) your Panels: presentation of (part of) your research & challenging questions from research & challenging questions from group. PLEASE: keep to time with your group. PLEASE: keep to time with your presentations! Ask questions of each presentations! Ask questions of each other…other…helphelp each other. each other.

Writing a PhD….Writing a PhD….

Long, lonely process…leading to a limited Long, lonely process…leading to a limited income.income.

Purpose of Symposium: to help you Purpose of Symposium: to help you connect; in presenting, you need to connect; in presenting, you need to streamline your argument; offer you some streamline your argument; offer you some constructive feedback on your research constructive feedback on your research design; maintain contacts.design; maintain contacts.

But be realistic…there are limits.But be realistic…there are limits.

What is your research question?What is your research question?

[Why…? How…?] Say it in ONE sentence. Make it clear. [Why…? How…?] Say it in ONE sentence. Make it clear. What are you trying to explain? Your PhD question cannot What are you trying to explain? Your PhD question cannot be about the future, but the past.be about the future, but the past.

Why is it relevant? Part of a broader question in my Why is it relevant? Part of a broader question in my academic field – answer to: So what? Contribution?academic field – answer to: So what? Contribution?

How are you explaining it? Connect question to an How are you explaining it? Connect question to an hypothesis to give a clear causal answer and to facilitate hypothesis to give a clear causal answer and to facilitate generalisation. Place hypothesis in a conceptual frame, generalisation. Place hypothesis in a conceptual frame, theory. Who are my academic opponents?theory. Who are my academic opponents?

Can my hypothesis be proved wrong? Say what evidence Can my hypothesis be proved wrong? Say what evidence would show it was wrong. If it can’t be shown to be wrong, would show it was wrong. If it can’t be shown to be wrong, its not much use.its not much use.

What is the ‘puzzle’ here?What is the ‘puzzle’ here?

e.g. e.g. explaining an explaining an unexpectedunexpected event or event or outcome – something that contradicts our outcome – something that contradicts our previous knowledge of the case. previous knowledge of the case.

Why shouldn’t we have expected this Why shouldn’t we have expected this (historical path; comparative theory)? So, (historical path; comparative theory)? So, why did it happen (hypothesis & theory)?why did it happen (hypothesis & theory)?

What’s the surprise? What’s new?What’s the surprise? What’s new?

Selection of case studies: Greece Selection of case studies: Greece and Another?and Another?

‘‘Puzzle’: Puzzle’: 2 most similar cases, but different 2 most similar cases, but different

outcomes. Why?outcomes. Why? 2 different cases, but similar outcome. 2 different cases, but similar outcome.

Why?Why? Comparison helps you to focus on the key Comparison helps you to focus on the key

conditions explaining the outcome, helps conditions explaining the outcome, helps develop theory.develop theory.

Greece as a single case studyGreece as a single case study

Comparison Comparison withinwithin Greece between sectors: Greece between sectors: choice of cases as above (most similar / choice of cases as above (most similar / dissimilar).dissimilar).

Single country study can support international Single country study can support international comparison if study uses comparative concepts, comparison if study uses comparative concepts, theory. Refine theory from deviant cases:theory. Refine theory from deviant cases:

Greece as a ‘least likely’ case: theory suggests Greece as a ‘least likely’ case: theory suggests outcome is least likely (puzzle = it has, so why?).outcome is least likely (puzzle = it has, so why?).

Greece as ‘most likely’ case: theory suggests Greece as ‘most likely’ case: theory suggests outcome most likely (puzzle = it hasn’t,why not?)outcome most likely (puzzle = it hasn’t,why not?)

For both: what theory revision is needed?For both: what theory revision is needed?

Further reading…Further reading…

P. Dunleavy, P. Dunleavy, Authoring a PhDAuthoring a PhD (Palgrave, (Palgrave, 2003).2003).

R. Hancke, R. Hancke, Intelligent Research Design Intelligent Research Design (2009). See his LSE homepage.(2009). See his LSE homepage.

T. Landman, T. Landman, Issues and Methods in Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics Comparative Politics (Routledge, 2003).(Routledge, 2003).

P. Burnham P. Burnham et alet al Research Methods in Research Methods in Politics (Palgrave, 2008).Politics (Palgrave, 2008).