As a research tool in the social sciences, GIS has not been used to nearly the same depth relative to applications in the natural science, where GIS have a longer history dating back to the late 1960s. Current and future opportunities for the application of GIS in the social sciences are considered tremendous. This course aims to point at some of the many opportunities. Whether the research design is based on qualitative or quantitative methods, GIS can provide the researcher with added analytical capabilities. Examples on how GIS can support both qualitative and quantitative methodologies will be given during the course, but with an emphasis on the latter.
Place: NTNU Trondheim, Campus Dragvoll
Credits: 10 ECTS (with approved essay) according to standards of the Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology (NTNU).
Lecturers:
Andreas Forø Tollefsen, Senior Researcher PRIO
Andreas Forø Tollefsen (Ph.D.) is Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). His research focuses on the use of georeferenced data such as surveys and event data, to explore the local causes and consequences of armed conflict. He has an extensive experience with ArcGIS and QGIS, as well as open-source GIS databases such as PostGIS and the use of spatial data in the statistical software package R.
Jan Ketil Rød, Professor NTNU
Professor Jan Ketil Rød, Department of Geography, NTNU has a wide experience in the use of Geographical Information System (GIS). Since GIS is a technology which facilitates inter disciplinary research, he uses GIS for a variety of topics including the study of civil armed conflicts, environmental hazards and vulnerability mapping, urban and land use planning, and educational geography.
Application through NTNU. Please contact adviser Einar Gimse-Syrstad, Department of Sociology and Political Science: einar.syrstad@ntnu.no