The International Association of Qualitative Inquiry (IAQI) was formed in 2024 when a pre-existing non-profit institute, the International Institute of Qualitative Inquiry (IIQI), founded by Dr. Norman Denzin (1941-2023) was officially renamed by the interim director, Dr. Katherine Ryan (Professor Emerita, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign).
The first International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI) was led by Dr. Denzin in May 2005, attracting 867 attendees from 51 countries to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. IIQI was developed to support the facilitation of annual congresses, among other initiatives. Congresses were held in-person at the University of Illinois from 2005 to 2019. The conference was cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and moved online in 2021 and 2022. Participants returned in-person in 2023 and 2024, before moving to virtual delivery in 2025.
In transitioning from an institute developed and headed by Dr. Denzin to a professional association, IAQI honors the legacy of Dr. Norman Denzin by continuing to promote qualitative inquiry internationally and supporting a worldwide supportive community of scholars.