Qualitative Methodologies

The course addresses the traditions of qualitative research in relation to a spatial problem. The course focuses on the following themes: 1. The foundations of qualitative research; 2. The planning of research with particular focus on spatial dilemmas; 3. The definition of conceptual problems, research questions, definitions of the spatial unit of analysis and sites of investigation; 4. Principles of data collection: ethnography, phenomenology, field study, etc; 5. Methods for collecting data (advantages and limitations) : questioners, interviews, participant observations; 6. Methods for analyzing urban space in architecture and planning; 7. Cognitive mapping methods and experiments; 8. Principles for analyzing data; 9.The final report on research, validity of research.