The field of qualitative research is robust and nuanced. While there are foundational standards to which all researchers hold, many intricacies regarding theory, methods, and analysis are influenced by differing training and expectations. These latter components are themselves often influenced by the norms of culture and geographic location. Researchers can learn much from international inquiry. In this introduction to the special issue of The Qualitative Report, “International Scholarship for Qualitative Theory, Methods, and Analysis,” we briefly consider the benefits and challenges that come from international scholarship. We then introduce the articles in the issue and their connection with the 2023 World Conference on Qualitative Research.
Elizabeth M. Pope, PhD, MA, is the Interim Director of Research Compliance and an Associate Professor in the Educational Research program. Dr. Pope holds degrees in religion, with a specialization in Islam, a PhD in adult education, and the Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies certificate from the University of Georgia. She is a qualitative research specialist. Dr. Pope's research interests lie in adult learning in interfaith encounters, transformative learning, teaching and learning research methods, and reflexivity in qualitative research. As a qualitative methodologist, she is interested in using digital technologies in qualitative research, qualitative meta-syntheses, and conversation/ethnomethodological analysis of interfaith conversations. Dr. Pope is a certified professional senior trainer in ATLAS.ti (qualitative data analysis software). Dr. Pope has taught classes in religion and now teaches educational research courses. Correspondence concerning this manuscript should be addressed to Elizabeth M. Pope, Department of Leadership, Research, and School Improvement, University of West Georgia, 1601 Maple St., Carrollton, GA, 30118. Email: epope@westga.edu
António Pedro Costa (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4644-5879) is a principal researcher at the Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers (CIDTFF), Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro (Portugal). He holds a Ph.D. in Multimedia in Education and a post-doctorate at the same institution, with the project “Implementation and Evaluation of Instruments for Qualitative Analysis in Research”. He also collaborates with the Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Laboratory (LIACC) at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (Portugal). He is one of the researchers/authors of the qualitative data analysis software webQDA (www.webqda.net). He is the Coordinator of the Ibero-American Congress on Qualitative Research (www.ciaiq.org) and the World Conference on Qualitative Research (www.wcqr.info), which gathers more than 700 researchers annually. He is the (co)author of more than 300 publications. Coordinated several projects with public and private funding worth more than 3 million euros.
Acknowledgements
We have no conflicts of interest to disclose. The research represented in this manuscript was not funded by any supporting agency.
Pope, E. M.,
&
Costa, A. P.
(2023).
Introduction for TQR Special Issue: “International Scholarship for Qualitative Theory, Methods, and Analysis”.
The Qualitative Report,
28(10), 2834-2837.
https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2023.6745
