The Israeli Center for Qualitative Methodologies (ICQM)

The goal of the Center is to create and provide a basis for an interdisciplinary community of qualitative researchers in Israel. By means of a dynamic e-mail list and of biannual qualitative conferences, gathering hundreds of researchers, the Center has succeeded in becoming a hub of connections between researchers from different institutions in Israel, for many research projects. In addition, the Center promotes teaching of qualitative research methods and training of beginning researchers in various higher education institutions in Israel.

Highlights of our activities this year:
1. The Fourth Israeli Interdisciplinary Conference of Qualitative Research. The conference took place on February 17-18, 2010 in Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The 2010 conference was characterized by a large number of participants, who came from a diversity of disciplines and high level of discussion addressing, ontological, epistemological, methodological and political questions about qualitative research in its variety.
2. The Qualitative Research Doctoral Student Forum. The forum is a series of educational and experiential meetings, created for and geared specifically toward doctoral students from all universities throughout Israel who use the qualitative approach. During the meetings young scholars have the opportunity to discuss and explore key issues in qualitative research as presented by leading qualitative researchers.
3. The Visual Research Forum. The aim of the forum is to display studies that use visual martial and to encourage young and established researcher to conduct studies in the visual sphere. the forum offers an exciting and stimulating annual program including the leading researcher in this area in Israel.
4. Workgroups. Last year, and throughout this year, we have initiated and facilitated a reflective group for young researchers. The group focuses on reflection as an important tool in qualitative research. Currently we are starting a feminist methodological reading group which will bring together feminist researchers from all universities throughout Israel to discuss the issue.
5. Workshops. The center holds advanced study workshops on a number of specific topics throughout the year, such as Atlas.ti software and biographical interviewing and analysis with Prof. Gabriele Rosenthal (from University of Goettingen, Germany).