Doing Conceptual Analysis

Lecture 1

14 February 2023

Dr Janosch Prinz
What is the point of this course?
• Concepts are a central element of academic research
and writing

• In this course, you will learn how to work with concepts

in a scholarly way

• You will get to know two forms of conceptual analysis

• Our investigations of concepts will be focused on one

which affects us all: democracy.
What is a concept?
• Activity for pairs or groups of three:

• What do you remember from “Apollo and Dionysus”

about concepts? Discuss for about 7 minutes.
What is a concept?
• During your studies you have come across many technical
terms already. Are they concepts?

• Terms are words which can express concepts

• Concepts are ideas that give meaning to a term/word

• We will look at this question in more depth in the next

lecture!
 Example: The concept of freedom
• The Dutch right-liberal VVD party is for freedom, the
socialist SP party is also for it!

• Trump is for freedom, Biden is, too!

• They use the same term, but do they mean the same thing
when they say freedom? No!
Example: The concept of freedom II
• How can we understand the difference?

• By investigating the different conceptualization or

conceptions of freedom that lie behind their uses of
the term! What does that mean?

• Political concepts like freedom or democracy often are

contested. People disagree over their meaning. There
are rivaling conceptions of these concepts.

• In this course we will focus on the contested concept of

democracy.
Conceptual Analysis – not just a method!
• Learning how to approach concepts in academic
reading and writing is a key skill you will need
throughout your studies

• In social and political debate, conceptual skills are

handy for reflecting on the contributions of others and
for making your own intervention
Concepts that are not working
• Activity: Can you think of concepts that do not work well in your
experience?

• Not working could mean e.g. that the typically used concept
does not capture what is most important about a phenomenon

• Discuss in pairs or groups of three for 5 minutes

Course Schedule
  Tutorials Lecture (16.00-18.00)
  Tutorials Lecture (16.00-18.00)
7 February Anticipation week, no tutorials but Reading and mind-mapping task
Reading and mind-mapping task
14 February Task 1: How to understand concepts Lecture 1: Course introduction (Dr. Janosch
(and why we should want to) Prinz)
21 February Carnival week Carnival week
28 February   Lecture 2: What are concepts and why do
they matter? (Dr. Janosch Prinz)

7 March Task 2: A historical-semantic  

approach to analyzing concepts
14 March Assignment 3: Applying the Lecture 3: Two forms of conceptual analysis
historical-semantic approach (Dr. Janosch Prinz)
Take-home exercise 1

21 March Task 4: Philosophical approaches to  

analyzing concepts
28 March Task 5: Applying the normative- Lecture 4: Reflecting on our analyses of the
philosophical approach: concept of democracy – plus extended Q&A
Take-home exercise 2 (Dr. Janosch Prinz)
 Getting Started
• Close reading of the course book is key

• Please read the required readings before the tutorial

• it takes close reading and careful notetaking to make

sense of these texts – that‘s why the volume of assigned
texts is limited!

• Course book and all required readings are on CANVAS

What to expect from tutorials?

• Tutorials are focused on the post-discussion element of PBL

• You must prepare the required readings before the tutorials

• Your tutor will often give you questions that help you with these
preparations

• Tutors will lead the post-discussion

• There will be “workshop” elements in the tutorials, including

the discussion of take-home exercises
Assessment
1 You will write two short conceptual analyses of (at least) 600 words
• These ‘take-home exercises’ are essential for your learning on this course
•exercise 1 is due on 13 March at 12:00 hrs.
•exercise 2 is due on 27 March at 12:00 hrs.
•Feedback will be collectively given to the tutorial groups.

2 You will write a conceptual analysis essay of 1750-2250 words. You will have a
choice:
A. Apply the historical-semantic approach to investigate the shift of meaning of
democracy in the French revolution.
B. Apply the normative-philosophical approach to conduct an analysis of what
we might want from the concept of democracy today.
•Draw on the required course readings when writing your assignments.
•The final essay is graded individually on a “excellent – pass – fail” basis,
•Your final essay is due Friday 6 April at 16:00hrs.
In two weeks…
• Second Lecture: “What are concepts and why do they matter?”

• If you have questions, email me at

j.prinz@maastrichtuniversity.nl