Research Methods in International Relations

The essential guide to designing research in International Relations. Purpose-built for IR students, Christopher Lamont's trusted textbook introduces research design and methods through concise and jargon-free explanations, packed with examples from contemporary IR scholarship. Accessible and engaging throughout, it gives students the skills and confidence to go from just starting out to successful research project.

Rather than treating methods as a menu of techniques, the book walks students through the entire process. This ensures students make decisions that shape good research: how to ask a workable question, choose an appropriate method, understand its strengths and limitations, collect and analyse data, and write up the project effectively. Examples from contemporary IR research show how methods are used in practice, while practical guidance throughout helps students anticipate common challenges and make informed choices at each stage.

The third edition comes with new chapters on collecting and analysing data that offer a comprehensive foundation on choosing methods. In Christopher Lamont's signature accessible style, there's easy-to-use expert advice on using individual methods, and a new troubleshooting feature offering practical tips for overcoming obstacles in the research process. The updated methodology chapter gives students a clear route into the full spectrum of approaches used in IR today, from interpretivist and critical traditions to social media research and quasi-experimental designs.

A practical introduction, this text 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 Dean of E-Track International Relations, Vice Dean of the Graduate School of International Relations, and Professor of International Relations at Tokyo International University, Japan.