Research Methods in International Relations

The only guide to conducting research in International Relations. Covering the full breadth of methods in IR with unrivalled clarity, this best-selling textbook takes you through the entire process of doing research, from honing your question to writing up the dissertation. The engaging and jargon-free style demystifies the process of doing research, whilst helping you develop a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and limitations of different methods and methodologies.

This second edition comes with new chapters on conducting interviews and discourse analysis, as well as expanded coverage of qualitative and quantitative methods. Packed with examples, it explores the breadth of IR research today, from the long-lasting impact of colonialism to migration policy; climate change negotiations to international aid. Covering the most cutting-edge methodological developments, including critical realism, feminist, and postcolonial approaches, it helps you understand and apply research methods in world politics.

This practical introduction is essential reading for anyone setting out on their International Relations research project for the first time, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Christopher Lamont is Assistant Dean of E-Track Programs and Associate Professor of International Relations at Tokyo International University, Japan.

About the Author
Lamont, Christopher: - Christopher Lamont is Assistant Dean of E-Track Programs and is Associate Professor of International Relations at the Institute for International Strategy, Tokyo International University. He has taught a number of research methods classes, including Research Design, Methodologies in International Relations, Methodologies and Research Practice, and Research Methods for Area Studies. He holds a PhD in Politics from the University of Glasgow (2008) and MSc in International and European Politics from the University of Edinburgh (2005) and a BA in International Studies from the University of Mississippi. Previously, Dr. Lamont was Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Groningen (2011-2018) and prior to that he was an R.C.U.K. postdoctoral fellow in the Transitional Justice Institute at the University of Ulster (2009-2011). His research interests include human rights and transitional justice, and he has published widely on the subject, including his monograph, International Criminal Justice and the Politics of Compliance (Ashgate, 2010), numerous peer reviewed journal articles and edited volumes.