Hello all,

I have come up with a question and a case study, and I am planning on using a recent model proposed by a theorist to account for the occurrence of a particular type of inter-group conflict by using my case study. Except for the fact that this model is relatively new (proposed in the last 5 years; it is actually an improvement on earlier explanations in itself, not a radically new idea) and not applied to my case study, I really don't see what originality I am bringing to the subject. I know I need to read a lot more, but the question I am doing has been done to death in different areas of the world, it is probably just my narrow case study that is different.


I have just started my phd, so of course I am still ignorant of much of the literature on my topic.


STRESSING OUT AND IT IS ALREADY OCTOBER!

Hi toneitup,

Maybe you could see it as 'testing' this model by doing this narrow case study? In the end you may come up with ideas for how the model could be improved. Your topic is surely original already by doing the case study in connection with this model, but enhancing a model and suggesting improvement will certainly make it even more original and innovative.

Cheers,
Lexika

Hi,

Obviously it's difficult to say without having more details, but of course I understand the need to stay anonymous means that sometimes sound a bit too general.

But as Lexika says, you have an empirical contribution which might refine the theory in some way. Second, you might also make some sort of methodological contribution. So, how precisely can the model be mobilised? What about some sort of theoretical contribution, something along the lines of the model not being 'universal'?