Proposal Submissions

Proposal Submission Guidelines

International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI) 2027

May 28–30, 2027

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

Conference Theme: Qualitative Inquiry: Creating Inclusive Communities for Pluriversal Futures

The International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI) invites proposals from scholars, practitioners, students, artists, and community researchers from around the world. We welcome submissions that engage with the conference theme through diverse theoretical, methodological, and disciplinary perspectives. Authors are encouraged to consider how their work contributes to contemporary conversations concerning qualitative and mixed methods inquiry, social justice, ethics, creativity, and inclusivity.

Authors can choose between submitting their proposal for consideration for one of the SIG themes or for General Congress. Special Interest Group (SIG) sessions will take place on Friday during ICQI 2027, and the General Congress sessions will be scheduled for 29-30^th May.

SIG themes include:

• Autoethnography
• (P)AR
• Indigenous Inquiries Circle (IIC)
• A day in Spanish and Portuguese (ADISP)
• New materialisms
• Coalition for Critical Inquiry
• Arts-Based Inquiry
• Social Work
• Mixed Methods

Submitting a Proposal for a Special Interest Group Session

SIGs will organize their sessions in one of two ways: through a dedicated proposal track in Ex Ordo or through a process managed directly by the SIG. Please go to the SIG FAQ to learn more.

Attendance at SIG Sessions

All ICQI 2027 participants are invited to attend any SIG sessions. The complete schedule of SIG sessions will be published in the conference program and mobile app.

Proposal Types

Papers

Papers present completed or developing scholarly work, including:

• empirical research
• theoretical or conceptual analyses
• methodological innovations
• arts-based or creative inquiry
• community-engaged scholarship
• indigenous methodologies
• reflections on research practice

Individual papers will be grouped by the Program Committee into thematic concurrent sessions.

Session Format

• 90-minute session
• Typically 4–5 papers per session
• Approximately 15–18 minutes per presentation, including discussion.

Panels

Panels bring together multiple presenters to explore a shared topic, question, methodology, or issue from complementary perspectives. A panel should be organized around a coherent theme rather than a collection of unrelated papers. A typical panel includes:

• Chair
• 3–5 presenters
• Discussant

The panel organizer is responsible for coordinating all participants, submitting the title and abstract for the session, and sending individual presenters a link to submit individual proposals for the session.

Session Format

• 90-minute session
• Organizers should allocate time for discussion and audience engagement.

Posters

Poster presentations will be accepted for the General Congress sessions, and provide opportunities for interactive discussion of research projects, works in progress, innovative methodologies, creative projects, or community collaborations. Poster sessions are especially appropriate for:

• emerging research
• doctoral student work
• pilot studies
• methodological demonstrations
• visual and arts-based inquiry

Presenters should be available throughout the scheduled poster session/s on Saturday 29^th May to discuss their work with conference attendees.

Complete submissions will be scheduled as space allows and pending presenter registration.

Submission Requirements

Each proposal should include:

• Proposal title
• Names, affiliations, email addresses, and countries for all authors
• Abstract (200 words) and optional references (200 words)
• 3-5 Keywords

To submit your proposal, please go to https://qi2027.exordo.com/.

Formatting of Presentation Titles

• Capitalize all major words, including nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Capitalize the first and last words of the title.
• Capitalize the first word after a colon, em dash, or other end punctuation.
• Capitalize both parts of a hyphenated major word, such as “Arts-Based.”
• Use lowercase for articles (a, an, and the), short conjunctions such as and, but, and or, and short prepositions such as at, by, in, of, on, and to, unless they are the first or last word of the title.
• Retain the appropriate capitalization of proper nouns, acronyms, and names.
• Do not enter titles in all capital letters.
• Do not place quotation marks around the title or add a period at the end.

For panel proposals, please apply these guidelines to both the overall panel title and the titles of the individual papers included in the panel.

Example

Incorrect: Exploring belonging through arts-based inquiry: Perspectives from graduate students

Correct: Exploring Belonging Through Arts-Based Inquiry: Perspectives From Graduate Students

Please review the title carefully before submitting your proposal in Ex Ordo. The title entered in the portal will be used in conference materials if the proposal is accepted.

Important Dates

Presentation Expectations

Presenters are expected to:

• register for the conference by the registration deadline (February 1^st, 2027);
• attend their scheduled session;
• respect the allotted presentation time;
• foster respectful and inclusive dialogue;
• comply with conference guidelines regarding accessibility, professional conduct, academic freedom, and respectful dialogue.

Accessibility and Respectful Dialogue

• The International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI) is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and accessible environment in which all participants can engage fully in scholarly exchange. We welcome participants from diverse disciplinary, cultural, linguistic, geographic, and lived experience backgrounds and strive to create a conference that promotes equity, belonging, and mutual respect.
• Presenters are expected to prepare materials that are accessible to a broad audience whenever possible. This may include using readable presentation slides, describing visual images and graphics, using microphones when provided, and ensuring that audiovisual materials are captioned or otherwise accessible.
• We are committed to providing an accessible experience for all participants. If you require accommodations or ASL interpretation, please contact icqi@qualitativeinquiry.org by 15^th February 2027 so we can make appropriate arrangements. We will attempt to implement late requests but cannot guarantee they will be met.
• All conference participants—including presenters, attendees, organizers, exhibitors, volunteers, and sponsors—are expected to contribute to a professional environment free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or disruptive behavior. Respectful dialogue and the open exchange of diverse perspectives are central to the mission of ICQI. Participants should engage with others in ways that recognize differences in experience, perspective, identity, and scholarly tradition, while maintaining a spirit of collegiality and constructive intellectual engagement.
• The conference organizers reserve the right to address behavior that is inconsistent with these expectations and, when necessary, to take appropriate action to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants.
• For more information see Accessibility and Accommodations.