Events

NU Qualitative Special Interest Group Annual Symposium 2025

  • Venue: The Frederick Douglass Centre, Helix Science Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5TG
  • Start: Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:22:00 GMT
  • End: Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:22:00 GMT

Theme: “Beyond the interview” - Interviews, whether semi-structured, narrative, or unstructured, are probably the most used method of data collection in qualitative research. But are we overly reliant on this method? What have we lost and gained from the increase in remote interviewing? Do we need to be more inventive in our approach to interviewing? For the 2025 Qualitative Special Interest Group Annual Symposium we are keen to hear about novel and creative approaches to qualitative data collection and analysis and encourage honest discussions about our experiences as qualitative research-academics – both the good and the not so good.

 

Plenary speakers
Opening plenary: Janice McLaughlin, Professor of Sociology, Newcastle University - Janice’s research focuses on disability, particularly childhood disability, and the experiences of families. She has also published works on feminist theory and sexualities. In recent years she has increasingly utilised creative methods in her work.
Closing plenary: Tim Rapley, Professor in the Department of Social Work, Education, and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University - Tim is a medical sociologist with an interest in social studies of medical and social care work, research and practice. His work focuses on three substantive areas: the implementation of care, the organisation of care and social studies of qualitative research.

 

Streams

Inclusive approaches to qualitative research: involving people from minoritised ethnic groups, with cognitive and/or physical disabilities, or neurodivergence, those identifying as LGBTQIA, people living with low socioeconomic status, and other lesser heard voices in qualitative research.

Novel and creative methods of collecting and analysing qualitative data.

Novel and creative approaches to dissemination of qualitative research.

Open stream: for those who feel their work does not fit within the other streams but are keen to share their qualitative work with colleagues and peers.

Streams: Presentations will be limited to 15 minutes with 5 minutes for questions

 

Panel discussions

Ethical dilemmas in qualitative research: Research ethics is always evolving; new technologies, and societal shifts force us to face and respond to novel issues. For this panel discussion we welcome papers concerned with the real, experienced, and hypothetical ethical dilemmas and challenges qualitative research-academics face.

The quick, the dirty, and the downright filthy! This stream is about holding our hands up and discussing the role of so called “quick and dirty qual”; qualitative research conducted rapidly and typically resulting and descriptive, topic summary themes. When is this approach appropriate and legitimate, and when is it not? How often do issues of time and other resources result in us feeling forced to compromise the depth of our analysis, and what does this mean for our participants who have allowed us, albeit briefly, into their worlds?

Open call: Have a suggestion for a panel discussion that you would like to develop? Please contact the QualSIG steering committee: QualSIG@newcastle.ac.uk 

Panel discussions: Each panel will have up to four panellists who will present in turn. Each panellist will have 5 minutes to present their view. Once all panellists have spoken there will be 10 minutes for discussion and debate.

 

Posters
Open call. If you have an existing poster that presents qualitative work that you would like to display during the symposium, please contact the QualSIG Steering Committee: QualSIG@newcastle.ac.uk 

 

The debate
The interview: the cases for and against, and suggestions for creative ways to conduct them: Throughout the day delegates will be encouraged to tweet their thoughts using the hashtag #NUQualSIG25 and/or drop their comments in a comments box at the reception desk.


Registration and abstract submission
We are accepting abstract submissions from research-academics working across the North East of England and Cumbria. Abstract submission will be open from 01.10.2024 and will close on 30.10.2024 at midnight. Abstracts should be no more than 250 words. To submit an abstract please use the link or QR code and the foot of this page. Registration is open - link below.

Notice regarding costs
This year, to cover costs, we will be charging a nominal fee for attending.
Students (doctoral and masters) will be charged £10, but the three student abstracts that are scored the highest during peer review will be offered a free space.
All other delegates will be charged £15.

Registration link

https://webstore.ncl.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/faculty-of-medical-sciences/population-and-health-sciences-institute/newcastle-university-qualitative-special-interest-group-annual-symposium-2025 

Submission link
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=yRJQnBa2wkSpF2aBT74-h4ihNcNZN2tGuV2OMQQUcjVUMEpZV0lIRFExUFlXQ1IySElFME0wQTIyMS4u 

 

The Qualitative Special Interest Group (QualSIG) is part of Newcastle University’s cross faculty research theme, the Innovation, Methodology and Application (IMA) theme: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/ima/ 
Contact: QualSIG@newcastle.ac.uk 

 

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