RN21 - Quantitative Methods

The Quantitative Methods Research Network (RN21) of the European Sociological Association (ESA) brings together social scientists with a research interest in quantitative methodology and empirical research, including survey methodology, mixed methods, experimental methods, causal inference, simulation, statistical techniques, comparative methods, and others.

The theme of the 12th conference of the European Sociological Association (ESA) is " Differences, inequalities and sociological imagination." In accordance with this thematic RN21 especially invites papers on quantitative approaches to inequalities and differences, as well as methodological papers. We welcome submissions on all quantitative issues, but especially encourage paper presentations on one of the following topics on the conference theme and on quantitative methodology in general:

Topics specific to the conference theme:

• “Measuring Social Inequalities and Differences”
• "Measurement Quality and Measurement Equivalence in cross-national research"
• "Standardizing Socio-Demographic Variables for Cross-National Survey Research"

More general topics:

• “New Developments in Multi-Mode and Web Surveys”
• "Experimental Methods and Simulation in Sociological Research"
• “Causal Inference in Sociology”
• “Analysis of Longitudinal and Panel Data”
• “Social Network Analysis”
• "Mixing Methods: Moving Beyond the Quantitative-Qualitative Divide"
• “Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)”
• “Sampling issues in recent sociological surveys”
• "Teaching Quantitative Methods"

We are open for additional topics as long as they can be accommodated in the conference schedule. Colleagues from outside of Europe are of course welcome to submit abstracts and participate in the sessions.

1. General Session (Please submit all papers for the topics above to this session)

In addition to RN21 sessions (see call above) we propose a joint session with RN 28 (Proposal submitted by Roger Penn, Professor of Sociology, Queen’s University, Belfast)

2. Joint session with RN20 Qualitative Methods and RN 28 Society and Sports:

Competitive Balance in Professional Sport

The issue of competitive balance in sport remains an important issue both for social scientists and for the administration of sport. There is a strong current in North American sociology that advocates increased competitive balance. This has increasing purchase in Europe, most notably at UEFA with its ‘Fair Play’ policies for elite football clubs. European research is less wedded to this discourse.

Competitive balance and imbalance are both quantitative issues. There has been considerable debate about how best to measure them, particularly over time. There has also been controversy about the appropriate time frame to be used for comparative analysis. Recently, there has been a move to include statistical modelling into such analyses.

Notes for authors

Authors are invited to submit their abstract either to the general session or any specific session. Please submit only to one session. After abstract evaluation, coordinators will have the chance to transfer papers between sessions where applicable.

Abstracts should not exceed 250 words. Each paper session will have the duration of 1.5 hours. Normally sessions will include 4 papers.

Abstracts must be submitted online to the submission platform, see below. Abstracts sent by email cannot be accepted. Abstracts will be peer-reviewed and selected for presentation by the Research Network; the letter of notification will be sent by the conference software system in early April 2015.
 

Abstract submission deadline (extended):                                                                                                15^th February 2015

Abstract submission platform:                                                                                          www.esa12thconference.eu

If you have further questions on the conference, please visit the conference website. For further information on the Research Network, please visit www.europeansociology.org.