Instructor: Marcelo Rodriguez
Wed | 12:00 PM - 12:50 PM | In-Person
Spring 2025
In our global world, students try to grasp transnational and international phenomena and events beyond the political boundaries of one country. All academic disciplines observe and analyze topics of interest heavily influenced by comparative scenarios from other countries and with relevant international treaties, and organizations. While there is no focus on one topic, the idea is that once students understand comparative and international research, they can use this knowledge to quickly master any research in their own fields of interest and develop an effective research strategy. First day of class, students will be assigned to one country allowing them to research and explore more during our in-class exercises. Afterwards, students will be paired to compare their respective countries to one another under a topic. Last weeks will be dedicated to international research grouping students to look at the same topic from an international angle. Students will also focus on legal systems and government infrastructure from other countries as foundational knowledge impacting all comparative and international research in academia. Through in-class exercises, students will learn core methodology, choosing keywords to build taxonomies, translating terms, databases from international organizations and how to track topics of interest in other countries and internationally.