The Research Group on Qualitative and Multi-Method Analysis

Syracuse University, May 30-31, 2009

The Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research is held at the same time as a related Research Group. While the Institute focuses on teaching research skills, the Research Group aims to encourage the development of qualitative and multi-method research techniques.

We are pleased to report that as part of the grant covering the 2009-2011 institutes, NSF also renewed its support for the research groups.

The research groups focus on both article and book projects, using two separate institutional synergies.

The article projects discussed at the 2009 Research Group were largely (but not wholly) drawn from APSA proposals. We received permission from the APSA Annual Meeting Program Chairs, Simone Chambers and Bruce Jentleson, to review the proposals to Division 46. We used this pool to help identify a group of paper authors to invite to the Maxwell School for the Research Group. Article projects discussed included:

Ariel Ahram, University of Oklahoma,
The Challenge of Conceptual Stretching in Mixed Method Research.  
Discussants: Colin Elman and Hillel Soifer      

Kendra Koivu and Erin Kimball, Northwestern University
Using SUIN for Concept Formation  and Understanding Causation
Discussants: Gary Goertz  and Andrew Yeo      

Tulia Falleti, University of Pennsylvania
Toward a Comparative Sequential Method
Discussants: Andrew Bennett and  Ariel Ahram      

Sean L. Yom, Harvard University
Theoretical Deduction or Empirical Induction? Resolving Causal Tensions in Comparative-Historical Research 
Discussants: Amy Mazur and Stephen Nelson and

Stephen Nelson, Cornell University and Andrew Yeo, Catholic University of America  
Methodological Challenges and Progress in Ideational Research
Discussants: Andrew Bennett  and Kendra Koivu      

Hillel David Soifer  Princeton University
Permissive and Causal Conditions in Historical Causation: Windows of Opportunity and types of Critical Junctures
Discussants: James Mahoney, Erin Kimball and Sean Yom      

The book project part of the Research Group arises from the recent development of a new book series at Cambridge University Press on Strategies of Social Inquiry. The Research Group has been extended to include discussion of book manuscripts or proposals that are actively under consideration for the Cambridge series. The two projects discussed at the 2009 Research Group were:

Diana Kapiszewski, University of California at Irvine, Lauren Morris MacLean, Indiana University, and Ben Read, University of California, Santa Cruz 
Designing and Conducting Field Research in Political Science (working title)
Discussants: Colin Elman, James Mahoney and John Gerring      

John Gerring, Boston University
Social Science Methodology: A Criterial Framework (2nd edition)
Discussants: Bear Braumoeller, Amy Mazur and Tulia Falleti     

If you have any questions about the 2009 Research Group, or future iterations of the group, please contact Colin Elman at celman@maxwell.syr.edu.