Sanctions Methods Course

Ghent University

31.03-01.04 2025

Who we are

• Thomas
• Dawid
• MINOS

And who are you?

• Make pairs and introduce yourself
• Tell the group who your pair is
• Let's practice catching skills 

Objectives

• This is not a course on data management or econometrics
• It is a course on exploring and critically engaging with data and methods used in research on sanctions
• We will work in groups and adjust the tasks to the level of the group

Plan for Day 1

• 9:30-10:15 Data on sanctions
• Coffee break
• 10:30-12:00 Effectiveness
• Lunch
• 13:00-15:00 Domestic politics
• Coffee break
• 15:15-17:00 IOs
• Networking reception @Cafe 404

Data

TIES

Let's open the Users' Manual of TIES. Pick a few variables and read about them. In groups discuss what surprised you, what could be an interesting research avenue or form problems.

TIES

Let's look at the data together: cleaning, descriptive statistics and how already at this stage we can connect data and theory

TIES

The Hidden Hand of Economic Coercion

(Drezner, 2003)

Multilateral Sanctions and Foreign Policy Success (Miers & Morgan, 2002)

TIES

Now it's your turn. First, look at the data on your own. Then work in groups. It's just exploration.

Break

Effectiveness

When sanctions work?

Let's now look at the issue of effectiveness:

• look in the manual for relevant variables (pdf)
• sketch the relationship (pen & paper)
• think about potential challenges (theoretical & statistical)
• discuss with your group

When sanctions work?

Let's first together look at my do-file.

Now reflect on what you have sketched. Adjust, if needed, and move to empirical analysis. It can be in excel or any programme. You may also look for complementary data sets. 

We will follow up with a discussion of your findings and challenges.

Break

Domestic politics

Playing to the home crowd?

First we look at Whang's paper and identify the source of data, variables and empirical strategy. Then we look together at the replication file

Second, we try to find data to replicate the study. Once we have the data, we try to organise it and clean it up. Let's discuss problem and limitations.

Third, we look at my do-file and further discuss the topic of approval ratings and sanctions. 

Break

IOs

Bringing IOs into sanctions

In the last part of the quantitative component we will work more in groups on identifying data, looking into the data, sketching strategies for data cleaning and merging and for the empirical analysis. 

Thank you