A call for research designs that came in over the wires. This is an exceptional opportunity for researchers at the early phase of a project to strengthen their design:<\/p>\n
Call for Research Designs<\/p>\n
Conference on Field Experiments in International Relations<\/b><\/p>\n
Experiments provide the best method for identifying causal effects in
\nsocial science, but they have been undersupplied in international
\nrelations. To help fill this gap, we are convening a conference of
\ninterested scholars to discuss research designs for field experiments in
\ntransnational affairs. The conference will be held in Park City, Utah
\nSeptember 21-22, 2012. After the conference, scholars will revise the
\ndesigns, execute the experiments, and then present their findings and
\nreceive feedback at a follow up meeting to be held at Princeton University
\nin the fall of 2013.<\/p>\nRationale<\/p>\n
Individuals, firms, non-governmental organizations, and international
\nbureaucrats play vital roles in the modern world. But unlike nation states
\n\u2013 which are difficult to manipulate either practically or ethically \u2013
\nscholars can employ experiments with these non-state actors as subjects.<\/p>\nExperiments\u2019 strong internal validity makes them an especially attractive
\nresearch method for causal inference. Randomization permits the precise
\nestimation of causal effects because in expectation it balances not only
\nthe observable factors that might confound results, but it also neutralizes
\nall unobservable confounds. This is a significant advantage over
\nobservational research, which can never establish with certainty that the
\nmodel employed is properly specified.<\/p>\nField experiments add an additional improvement by addressing concerns over
\nexternal validity. The day-to-day international actions of non-state
\nactors and the effects of their behavior on global outcomes are worthy of
\nclose study. Field experiments in IR \u2013 where non-state actors as subjects
\nrepresent the actual units of interest \u2013 likely can be better defended as
\nexternally valid while retaining many of the internal-validity advantages
\nof lab experiments. Convening a significant group of scholars focused on
\nbrainstorming research designs, refining plans, and analyzing results
\nshould help international relations take an important step toward
\nuncovering causal effects in global affairs.<\/p>\nDetails<\/p>\n
Helen Milner of Princeton University, along with Michael Findley and Daniel
\nNielson of Brigham Young University, are organizing the conference.
\nPrinceton\u2019s Robert Keohane, Columbia\u2019s Donald Green, Stanford\u2019s Michael
\nTomz and Jeremy Weinstein, Yale\u2019s Susan Hyde, and Harvard\u2019s Dustin Tingley
\nare also planning to attend. Interested scholars should submit an abstract
\nno longer than 500 words by March 15, 2012 to BYU\u2019s Political Economy and
\nDevelopment Lab at pedl@byu.edu<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThe initial conference will focus on research designs, not finished papers.
\nThe abstracts should therefore articulate the research question,
\nhypotheses, and causal mechanisms along with the anticipated subject pool,
\nexperimental conditions, outcome measures, and data analysis strategy. Both
\ncollaborative and sole-authored projects are encouraged.<\/p>\nTopics covering the full range of international and transnational relations
\n\u2013 including but not limited to political economy, security, environment,
\nand human rights \u2013 are welcome. Abstracts should address some aspect of
\ntransboundary interactions and should be field experiments rather than
\nsurvey or laboratory studies, meaning that the subjects are the actual
\nobjects of inquiry rather than proxies, the outcome of interest is
\nbehavioral (not attitudinal), and the subjects\u2019 actions are observed in a
\nnatural setting.<\/p>\nPrinceton and BYU have made funds available to sponsor some \u2013 but not all \u2013
\nof the conference participants. Please provide contact information with
\nyour abstract, and also indicate whether or not your home institution can
\npay for your airfare and lodging. Meals and ground transportation are
\nprovided. Examples of field experiment designs in international relations
\nare available upon request.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A call for research designs that came in over the wires. This is an exceptional opportunity for researchers at the early phase of a project to strengthen their design: Call for Research Designs Conference on Field Experiments in International Relations Experiments provide the best method for identifying causal effects in social science, but they have … <\/p>\n