SOC 327: Ethnic Conflict
COLGATE UNIVERSITY
FALL 1999
Professor Thomas Hall
Last update August 31, 1999
Writing A Case Study
Last updated 11-3-99

A case study is generally a term paper focused on some specific instance of ethnic conflict. The key to a case study is in its name: you are presenting a study of one case of ethnic conflict. Your case study should be organized into the following parts

• 1. A general, brief description of the case including [about one page]:
• Description of the parties to the conflict
• A time-line for the conflict
• How it fits into our typology of conflicts [if this is complex, address this under 2]
• I. > 1500 CE, state-state or state and minority group
• II. > 1500 CE, state-indigenous group
• III. < 1500 CE, state-state or state and minority group
• IV. < 1500 CE, state-indigenous group
• A brief overview of what this case adds to our understanding of ethnic conflict in general.
• 2. The last part of 1 should segue, fade into, a discussion of how you see your case fitting into the general discussion, analysis, and understanding of ethnic conflict. Also include any complexities in the components of part 1 [2 to 4 pages].
• 3. The detailed description of the case, including its history [a time line either as a chart or an appendix may be useful], how the conflict, the parties to the conflict, and sources of conflict have changed over time. This will be the body of you paper and will range from 12 to 25 pages depending on how detailed your description is, and how complex the case is. Length is not the issue, thoroughness appropriate to your analysis is.
• 4. Analysis of the case. Here you use your description and history [part 3] to set up a discussion of how your case fits into the model presented in chapter 5 of Gurr and Harff, or how it requires their model be modified, or even how it requires that it be redone completely. This will run from 3 to 10 pages, depending on the complexity of your case.
• 5. Suggestions for ending or at least ameliorating the conflict. Here, if you can not invent a plausible way to do this, try to specify what further information you would need to begin developing a solution or amelioration to the conflict. This will run from 3 to 10 pages, again depending on the complexity of the case.
• Appendix 1: Would this case be a good teaching case for this course in the future, and why or why not?  Also is it a good case study?  Again, Why or why not?
• Appendix 2: Allocation of credit among the group.  See below.

Further comments:
You are NOT REQUIRED to follow this outline, but it is a good model.

Length: From the above the case study could run from 23 to 50 pages. I expect most case studies to be in the 20 to 30 page range. Very few should require the longer approach on all the parts, but most will end up being long for one part.

How to decide what goes in the case description:
The decision is shaped by your analysis: Does this information need to be present for a reader/listener to understand why you have drawn your conclusion? If the answer is yes, include it; if not, do not! This is where questions from LISTENERS during PRESENTATION can be most helpful. If LISTENERS are not understanding your point, you may need to include more description. Keep in mind for most of you, YOU will be the expert on your case, and may well know more about it than anyone in the class--including me, the prof!--so you are the expert.

For Parts 4 & 5 you must make similar decisions: Do I need this to make this case study make sense? If you say, "yes," it goes in. If you say, "no," then omit it.

Use your presentation to test out your ideas on the class. See if your discussions are clear. Lots of questions suggest more detail on the questioned topic in the final draft. See Presenting A Case Study for more details on the presentation.

See How to Write Essays for Professor Hall for more details on writing in general.

See Formats and Bibliographies for Papers & Theses for more details on formats, references, and bibliography.

It is a good idea to draft your introduction for the first submission of materials, but plan on rewriting it once you are done, when you know what you actually did and concluded.

APPENDICES:
Appendix I:  There are two issues here, both pedagogical.  The first is your assessment of whether this case is so good/interesting, that it should become part of the class readings.  I am interested in why you think so, if you have any readings on it you would suggest.  The second, is whether you think, having done it, this is a good topic for this type of course and good case study to use.  I am interested whether you think, it is great, or if it is terrible [meaning too hard to get information, etc].  For both think as if you were a TA for the course and discussing with the prof. or the students things to include or not.

Appendix II:  How are you dividing up the credit for the group?  Here is where you will need to assess who did what for the presentations on readings, on the class report on the ethnography, and the final written report.   It is always tempting to say everyone did equal, or equivalent work.  But if it is not the case, those who did more are short-changing themselves.  One the more difficult things you must decide, is, how much of the final writing is the equivalent of actually giving the report.  You, collectively, did the work, and only you know who did what.

If you have comments or suggestions, email me at thall@mail.colgate.edu