Analysing Political and Social Sequences

Sequence analysis is the systematic descriptive and causal study of sequences, that is, successions of standard categorical states or events. Sequence analysis is a unique method for representing, comparing and clustering sequences, for extracting prototypical sequences and for mining sequence populations. Its core tool, the optimal matching algorithm, imported from genetics and bio-computing, screens and discriminates longitudinal processes according to the nature of events, their duration and their order.
Numerous fields in the social and political sciences are concerned with sequences: life course analysis (for example, family and residential transition from youth to adulthood), sociology of professional careers (such as gendered careers or transition to retirement), political sociology (elite and activist careers), evolution of regimes (stages of development or transition to democracy), speech analysis (rhetorical strategies), geopolitics (stages in crises or democratic transition), comparative studies (stages of diffusion of reforms or mobilizations), elections (stages of public opinion formation during campaigns), human geography (distribution of space occupation from city centre) and ethnographic practices (rituals).

Course leader

Philippe Blanchard
Lausanne University

Target group

advanced students and junior researchers in political science and adjacent disciplines

Course aim

as above

Credits info

2 EC
Participants have the opportunity to gain 2 ECTS credits from the University of Vienna for attending an Introductory or Advanced Courses (15 hours). Participants must successfully complete their course, and successfully complete their project assignment in order to obtain 2 ECTS credits – Transcripts will be sent to the participants by The University of Vienna.

For all courses being attended (Introductory, Advanced and/or Software Training Courses), participants also receive a certificate of attendance.

Certificates of accreditation (if applicable) as well as certificates of attendance are sent to the participants after the Winter School has ended, by the University of Vienna

Fee info

EUR 0: ECPR Member – €495
Non-ECPR Member – €690
ECPR Member who has attended the ECPR SSMT 2012* – €445
Non-ECPR Member who has attended the ECPR SSMT 2012* – €640
*There is a €50 loyalty discount deducted from all Introductory and Advanced Courses to participants who attended the 2012
Summer School in Methods and Techniques (SSMT) in Ljubljana (this discount does not apply to Software Training Courses).

Scholarships

Self funded students from ECPR member institutions will be able to apply for funding in the form of scholarship funds and travel and accommodation grants. Please use the following link for further information: http://new.ecprnet.eu/Funding/WinterSchool.as