Advances in Qualitative Methods Conference

The Advances in Qualitative Methods (AQM) conferences are planned to enhance the development of qualitative methods. The first AQM conference was held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in February 1999 to celebrate the first year of operation of the International Institute for Qualitative Methodology (IIQM). Subsequent conferences have been hosted by the University of Alberta IIQM (Banff, Alberta, Canada), the Africa Institute for Qualitative Methodology (Sun City, South Africa), and the Australian IIQM (Surfer's Paradise, Australia).

These conferences hold the dual mission of dissemination and training. Dissemination focuses largely on the latest developments in qualitative methods and descriptions of how qualitative methods were used in particular research contexts. Scholarly presentations and refereed papers focus mainly on the application of qualitative methods, problems encountered, and adaptations required when conducting research with different populations.

Panel discussions on basic and advanced topics and keynote addresses by international researchers challenge the more advanced participants. For instance, at the second AQM conference, an ethnographic performance by Johnny Saldana—“Finding My Place: The Brad Trilogy,” a play depicting a case study of Harry Woolcott—produced an additional discussion session on ethics and responsibility. This was later published (in 2003) as a book, Sneaky Kid and Its Aftermath: Ethics and Intimacy in Fieldwork, by Woolcott. Other keynote speakers have included leaders in qualitative inquiry such as Norman Denzin (in 2003), Margarete Sandelowski (in 2001), Carolyn Ellis (in 1999), and Elliot Eisner (in 1999).

Training consists of pre- and postconference workshops that are targeted to new researchers and graduate students; these address various aspects of methods and strategies for conducting research. The selection of full-day workshops is broad and may include topics such as qualitative writing, ethnography, grounded theory, use of video, focus groups, various qualitative software packages, arts-based research, narrative inquiry, concept and theory development, and mixed-methods design.

Abstracts are published following the conference in the International Journal of Qualitative Methods (IJQM), providing a permanent record of the event. Full-length articles are developed from the presentation, and session and symposia papers are often published in IJQM.

Information regarding the forthcoming AQM conferences may be found on the IIQM website or by searching the internet using the conference name.