The Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR)
To our great disappointment, IQMR 2020 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We plan to hold a "combined" Institute in June 2021, hoping and anticipating that IQMR 2021 will include many of the participants who would have joined us this summer,
as well as those who will be newly accepted for 2021. IQMR 2021 will run from June 14 through June 25, with a two-day break on June 19 and 20.
Participants in IQMR are either nominated by a member school or department or selected from an "open pool" (largely funded by the National Science Foundation, with additional support from the American Political Science Association). Several departments,
schools and colleges held their 2020 nominations over to next year – so that their 2020 nominees as well as those they nominate to attend IQMR in 2021 will attend the Institute together in June 2021. We will share more information about the institutional
nomination process in the weeks ahead.
Most of the participants who were selected from the open pool to attend IQMR 2020 have opted to attend IQMR 2021. We are also holding a separate selection process for 2021, and we look forward to welcoming both cohorts at this year’s institute. There are three separate open pool competitions to participate in IQMR 2021:
the general open pool; applications from researchers at African scholarly institutions; and applications from scholars based in the Arab MENA region. You can find links to the three application forms in the table below.
Scholars admitted through the general open pool will arrive no later than Sunday June 13, and sessions will commence on June 14. The institute will run until the evening of Friday June 25, with a two day break on June 19 and 20. Scholars admitted through
the general track will have their participation at IQMR covered, as well as meals, and shared-accommodation for the duration of the program. General track attendees will be responsible for their own transportation costs to and from Syracuse University.
Scholars admitted through the African and Arab MENA tracks will also participate in an opening pre-course, from June 9-11. They should plan to arrive at Syracuse no later than Tuesday June 8, and depart at the conclusion of IQMR on the evening of Friday
June 25, or Saturday morning. Scholars admitted through the African and MENA tracks will have participation at IQMR covered, meals, and shared-accommodation for the duration of the program, as well as roundtrip economy-class airfare.
Materials from the 2019 institute (including a schedule and reading list) are available for viewing here. Please note that the modules will
be revised for the 2021 institute, and the schedule should be viewed with this in mind. There is also a brochure, a short slide show,
and a longer video with some instructors and participants. There are some module descriptions (and associated short videos) here.
Please note that while we are hopeful that participants in IQMR 2021 will be able to gather in Syracuse next summer, we realize that this will ultimately be dictated by health circumstances. If we are unable to hold an in-person institute, IQMR 2021
will take place online. If an in-person institute does not take place, the logistical details mentioned in this email will be modified accordingly. We realize that even if we are able to hold the Institute in person in 2021 there may be some students
and faculty who will be unable to attend in person without undue risk. We will work with faculty and students to assess their preferences and do what we can to provide synchronous and asynchronous online options as necessary. We will offer details
regarding specific arrangements early next year once we have further information on the progression of the COVID pandemic, and faculty and student needs.
Please also note that application through the open pool is distinct from nomination by a CQRM member organization. Member departments and schools in the 2020-2021 academic year will have spaces reserved at the institute. Members will choose their
nominees using their own selection procedures. Students, fellows and junior faculty who are not sure if they will be selected, or who attend non-member organizations, should apply directly to CQRM through one of the open pool tracks, using
one of the forms available at the links in the table below:
Application information
| Application link |
Appl. deadline |
# of slots |
Pre-course |
Travel bursary? |
Part., room and board |
Arrive |
Depart |
| General |
12/1 |
15 |
No |
No |
Yes |
6/13 |
6/25 or 6/26 |
| Africa |
12/1 |
5 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
6/8 |
6/25 or 6/26 |
| Arab MENA |
12/12 |
4 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
6/8 |
6/25 or 6/26 |
If you have any questions regarding IQMR and either the general or Africa open pool tracks, please email Colin Elman at celman@syr.edu. Please direct questions about the APSA Arab MENA fellowship to Ahmed Morsy
at amorsy@apsanet.org.
If you know of any students or faculty who might be interested in attending IQMR 2021, please pass this email on to them.
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IQMR Digital Brochure
Since its founding seventeen years ago, the Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research has welcomed well over two thousand graduate students and junior faculty.
The institute seeks to enable participants to create and critique methodologically sophisticated qualitative research designs, including case studies, tests of necessity or sufficiency, and narrative or interpretive work. It explores the techniques,
uses, strengths, and limitations of these methods, while emphasizing their relationships with alternative approaches. Short descriptions of some of the modules that were offered in 2019 can be found under "IQMR Module Description.”
IQMR attendees have the opportunity to receive constructive feedback on their own qualitative research designs.