• The course will give an overview of methods and theories from different perspectives and disciplines such as economy, scenario studies, modelling and social science. This will be done by inviting lecturers both from environmental and energy systems and externally.
• The course will include a number of seminars where the students discuss questions regarding methodology and theory. Examples of seminar topics are: “the handling of fundamental methodological concepts”, “the use of theory” and “critical assessment of previous doctoral dissertations”. In connection to the seminars the student will be given tasks to prepare.
• The course contains an overview and discussion of fundamental methodological concepts such as sensitivity analysis, source criticism (källkritik), reliability, validity, gerneralisability, triangulation.
• The course ends with an individual task where the students will write a paper on methodology and theory in their own research. The intention is that this can form the basis for a discussion of these issues in their thesis.