– CALL FOR ABSTRACTS –
The Qualitative Methodology Forum at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Bath, is holding a one-day symposium entitled:
Two Faces of Qualitative Inquiry: Theoretical and Applied Approaches
Following the success of the first South West Qualitative Research Symposium held in Bath in January 2015, we are pleased to announce this call for papers for the second Symposium.
The Symposium will take place at the University of Bath on Wednesday 23 March 2016. We invite abstracts across a wide range of issues related to Qualitative Research but especially those related to the Symposium theme that address the topics below.
Contributions from across all disciplines within the social sciences are welcome. Abstracts should be no more than 300 words and should clearly summarize the topic of research. They may include the following elements:
• Introduction
• Theory (where relevant)
• Methods
• Findings and conclusions
TOPICS:
Where should qualitative inquiry begin?
How helpful is it to distinguish between theoretically driven (e.g. critical theory) and applied approaches (e.g. thematic or content analysis) to qualitative research? Is qualitative research ever theory free? What are the benefits of combining theory and application? How in methodological terms can this be achieved? How does theory building in the social sciences contribute to bridging perceived between theoretically driven and applied research?
What happens at the intersection of theoretical and applied research?
How does theory inform application? How do applied data and findings inform theory? Are there fundamental disjunctions between epistemological traditions underpinning qualitative inquiry and applied research questions?

How can qualitative research relate to and interact with increasing demands for policy impact?
What compromises can and should, or should not, be made between the demands of theoretical insight and “real-life,” policy relevant, and often resource-limited research settings? What is the value of theory amidst inquiry aiming to inform policy? Why do policymakers sometimes not choose or use qualitative research? To what degree are qualitative researchers under pressure to quantify or “mix” methods, and in what ways might this be problematic? How can qualitative research become more “persuasive” within increasing calls for policy impact?
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Friday 11 December 2015
Please submit your abstracts to Bryan Clift – [log in to unmask] Please also contact Bryan with any queries about the abstract submission process or suggestions for topics not covered above. Abstracts should be submitted via email in a word processing document and include the following within the document:
• Paper title
• Author(s), Affiliated university or employer, and contact information
• Abstract
AUTHOR NOTIFICATION: 8 January 2015
Authors will be notified by email if their papers have been accepted for inclusion in the Symposium and will be asked to prepare concise papers of a 15-minute duration.
The Symposium is a free one day event, sponsored by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Bath. Lunch will be provided. Presenters’ travel expenses will also be reimbursed (preferably transport only except where presenters are traveling long distances).
For suggestions, questions, and submission of abstracts, please contact Bryan Clift ([log in to unmask]).
ORGANISERS:
Dr. Bryan C. Clift ([log in to unmask])
Dr. Jenny Hatchard ([log in to unmask])
Dr. Konstantina Vasileiou ([log in to unmask])

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