Social Science Approaches to the Study of Chinese Society Part 1
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Social Science Approaches to the Study of Chinese Society Part 1
Instructor: Cameron Campbell
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There are 8 modules in this course
This course seeks to turn learners into informed consumers of social science research. It introduces concepts, standards, and principles of social science research to the interested non-expert. Learners who complete the course will be able to assess evidence and critically evaluate claims about important social phenomena. It reviews the origins and development of social science, describes the process of discovery in contemporary social science research, and explains how contemporary social science differs from apparently related fields. It describes the goals, basic paradigms, and methodologies of the major social science disciplines. It offers an overview of the major questions that are the focus of much contemporary social science research, overall and for China. Special emphasis is given to explaining the challenges that social scientists face in drawing conclusions about cause and effect from their studies, and offers an overview of the approaches that are used to overcome these challenges. Explanation is non-technical and does not involve mathematics. Statistics and quantitative methods are not covered.
Explore the big questions in social science and learn how you can be a critical, informed consumer of social science research. Course Overview video: https://youtu.be/QuMOAlwhpvU After you complete Part 1, enroll in Part 2 to learn how to be a PRODUCER of Social science research. Part 2: https://www.coursera.org/learn/social-science-research-chinese-society
Welcome to Social Science Approaches to the Study of Chinese Society Part 1! Part 1 focuses on being a CONSUMER of social science research. Take some time to review the Course Overview video and the assignments for this course. In Week 1, we will explore What is Social Science. By the end of this week, you will be able to understand the differences between social science from humanities, natural and life sciences, outline the origins of social science and have a grasp of key definitions and terms.
What's included
8 videos4 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts
8 videos•Total 36 minutes
- Course Overview•2 minutes
- 1.1 Overview•2 minutes
- 1.2 Why social science is a science•6 minutes
- 1.3 Theory and evidence in social science•7 minutes
- 1.4 The origins of social science•4 minutes
- 1.5 Social science as a new way to study society•4 minutes
- 1.6 Differences between social science and other disciplines•7 minutes
- 1.7 Summary•2 minutes
4 readings•Total 33 minutes
- Assignments & Grading•3 minutes
- Suggested Reading List (Optional)•10 minutes
- Week 1 General Reading List•10 minutes
- Week 1 Classics Reading List•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 1 - What is social science?•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
- Meet and Greet your peers!•10 minutes
- Interest in social science•10 minutes
In Week 2, we will focus on The Big Questions. By the end of this week, you should have some sense of the range of questions that are the focus of much social science research. The next week, Week 3, will expand on China specific research.
What's included
7 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt
7 videos•Total 39 minutes
- 2.1 Overview•2 minutes
- 2.2 Inequality•6 minutes
- 2.3 Family•8 minutes
- 2.4 Social context and individual outcomes•9 minutes
- 2.5 Divergence•7 minutes
- 2.6 Political and social change•4 minutes
- 2.7 Summary•3 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Week 2 The Big Questions Reading•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 2 - The Big Questions•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- The Big Questions•10 minutes
In Week 3, we will focus on Social Science Research on China. By the end of this week, you should have some sense of major topics in current social science research on China.
What's included
7 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt
7 videos•Total 44 minutes
- 3.1 Overview•3 minutes
- 3.2 Change and continuity•8 minutes
- 3.3 Family•8 minutes
- 3.4 Population aging•5 minutes
- 3.5 Migration•4 minutes
- 3.6 Education, Health, and Wellbeing•12 minutes
- 3.7 Summary•4 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Week 3 Social Science Research on China Resources•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 3 - Social science research on China•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Notable changes in (Chinese) society•10 minutes
In Week 4, we will focus on The Social Science Disciplines. By the end of this week, you should have a better understanding of the emphases of each of the major social science disciplines, and the differences between the disciplines.
What's included
7 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt
7 videos•Total 59 minutes
- 4.1 Overview•2 minutes
- 4.2 Sociology•15 minutes
- 4.3 Political Science•15 minutes
- 4.4 Economics•13 minutes
- 4.5 Anthropology•7 minutes
- 4.6 Other disciplines•5 minutes
- 4.7 Summary•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Week 4 Social Science Disciplines Reading•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 4 - Social science disciplines•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Social science disciplines•10 minutes
In Week 5, we will focus on Study Designs. By the end of this week, you should understand the differences between the most common types of study, and have some sense of the settings in which each is most relevant.
What's included
8 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt
8 videos•Total 59 minutes
- 5.1 Overview•2 minutes
- 5.2 What is a study?•9 minutes
- 5.3 Experimental and observational studies•6 minutes
- 5.4 Cross-sectional studies•8 minutes
- 5.4 Longitudinal studies•16 minutes
- 5.6 Qualitative and quantitative studies•10 minutes
- 5.7 Macro and micro studies•7 minutes
- 5.8 Summary•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Week 5 Study Designs Reading•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 5 Study Designs•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Study Designs•10 minutes
In Week 6, we will focus on Challenges. By the end of this week, you should be able to have a better understanding of key challenges to interpreting results from social science research, and be able to reflect on potential problems with study design.
What's included
8 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt
8 videos•Total 61 minutes
- 6.1 Overview•4 minutes
- 6.2 Representativeness•10 minutes
- 6.3 Selection bias•13 minutes
- 6.4 Omitted variables•9 minutes
- 6.5 Reverse causality•3 minutes
- 6.6 The ecological fallacy•10 minutes
- 6.7 Validity of measures•10 minutes
- 6.8 Summary•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Week 6 Causation vs Correlation•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 6 - Challenges•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Challenges in social science research•10 minutes
In Week 7, we will focus on Cause and Effect. By the end of this week, you should understand the basic approaches that social scientists follow in trying to establish that an observed relationship reflects cause and effect.
What's included
8 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt
8 videos•Total 71 minutes
- 7.1 Overview•3 minutes
- 7.2 Experimental designs•15 minutes
- 7.3 Cause and effect in observational studies•8 minutes
- 7.4 Control variables•12 minutes
- 7.5 Natural/quasi experiments•14 minutes
- 7.6 Instrumental variables•8 minutes
- 7.7 Matching approaches•10 minutes
- 7.8 Summary•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Week 7 Measuring Causal Relationships•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 7 - Cause and effect•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Cause and effect•10 minutes
You've reached the final exam week! Complete the final exam and post-course survey. Your feedback can help us improve future iterations of the course. Good luck on the exam and hope to see you in Social Science Approaches Part 2. https://www.coursera.org/learn/social-science-research-chinese-society
What's included
1 video2 assignments
1 video•Total 6 minutes
- Concluding Remarks•6 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- Final Exam•30 minutes
- Post-course survey•30 minutes
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The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
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- Status: PreviewT
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
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- Status: PreviewT
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Course
- Status: PreviewT
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Course
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Reviewed on Jul 24, 2019
The course is very meaningful to learn the basic skills in social science. It is very valuable for students who wanted to study social science in university to take it as a preview
Reviewed on Mar 5, 2026
Focuses on the scientific method in social sciences, including sociology, political science, and economics. Limited application to Chinese society.
Reviewed on Feb 24, 2019
Great course for laying foundations, but part 1 does not really have much to do with Chinese society. Actually can start from part 2 directly if you already know the methods.
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