Brown has a long tradition of research in the area of development and inequality. In the social sciences, over 35 faculty have research interests in this area. GPD is committed to supporting and promoting a wide range of research initiatives by faculty, students, and our partner institutions in development and inequality.
As part of our focus on research, we offer training modules to interested graduate students in the social sciences each semester. This spring we will be offering:
May 2025 Graduate Program in Development Modules
Research Development Module
May 19-23 - Danny Choi (Political Science), 1:30pm - 5:30pm
This GPD module is designed to unpack and demystify the process of research development. Drawing on the experiences of authors of awarding-winning papers and books that vary significantly in their substantive focus and methodological orientation, we will seek to gain a holistic understanding of how authors came to generate their research questions, develop theoretical frameworks, navigate the data collection process, conduct analyses, and write. Particular attention will be paid to the nonlinearity of the research process as well as aspects of research development that are not easily observable while reading published research, including discussions of substantive and logistical challenges as well as critical decisions that lead to success or failure. The course will involve a combination of lectures, conversations with external speakers, and workshopping of your own research.
Graduate students can sign up for modules here. The deadline to sign up for Research Development is May 2nd.
Historical Methods Module
May 19-23 - Jennifer Johnson (History), 9:00am-1:00pm
This module is designed to provide students with the basic skills to conceptualize and develop a research project rooted in historical methods. Participants will learn how to generate appropriate research questions, evaluate and synthesize secondary literature, locate and analyze primary sources, work in archives and special collections, organize results, and make an original argument. The course will involve lectures, readings, outside speakers, site visits, and in-class presentations. Students are expected to come to the module with a research proposal that we will workshop together and into which they will infuse historical methods.
Graduate students can sign up for modules here. The deadline to sign up for Historical Methods Module is May 2nd.
S4 Summer GIS Institute
The Summer GIS Institute is held each June. Brown graduate students, researchers, staff and faculty are eligible to apply to the Institute.
The GIS Institute is a partnership between S4, the Brown University Library, EarthLab, and the Population Studies and Training Center. The GIS institute allows participants to refine and/or develop spatial/geographic research questions with guidance and critical feedback from Brown University faculty.
Doctoral students who complete the institute will become S4 Fellows. Through a mix of lectures, exercises, and faculty guided discussions the GIS institute provides a broad based multi-disciplinary introduction to spatial analysis and spatial data visualization. Participants have the opportunity to build databases and skills that will be of immediate use in their research.
For further details about this module, please go to the S4 GIS website here.
Questions about the Institute or the application process may be directed to S4 Director, Dr. Kevin Mwenda (kevin_mwenda@brown.edu)