IHSR Newsletter, Fall 2024

SU News

Written by Claire LeBeau, PhD, Editor Emeritus: Steen Halling, Assistant Editor: Diane Tomhave

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

  1. College of Arts & Sciences
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International Human Science Research Newsletter

Table of Contents

Deadline For Submissions To Fall 2025 Newsletter: October 1, 2025

Please email Dr. Claire LeBeau if your email address changes or if you wish to unsubscribe; also email her with material for the 2025 edition.

Please forward the link to the newsletter to interested colleagues.

Welcome to the 2024 IHSR Newsletter

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

As an existentialist, I reflect a great deal on the gift and the curse of our human dilemma of being aware of our own and each other’s finitude and mortality.  As we know, it is one thing to grow into this awareness of our limitations philosophically, with a wide range of curiosity, anxiety or fear, and even fascination, and it is another to encounter death as increasingly experientially close.  Both ways of relating to death offer immensely rich opportunities for choosing how we want to live our existence (the ex – forth or out of and sistere – to stand) within the time we have available to us.  Over these last few years especially, I have been confronted with the loss of many beloved people in my life and have been reminded of the truth of how grief and praise are intimately linked together.  It is this kind of tethering that our Human Science Research seeks to give voice to and to deepen into as a way of standing out into our shared existence and world. 

Last June for the 41st IHSR Conference, we were able to meet and gather once again in person at Molloy University to explore the theme of Advancing Human Science Research: Creating Gracious Space.  What is so remarkable about this particular theme was that the conference organizers applied the theme of creating gracious space in practice at every turn, demonstrating the experiential aspirations of human science at its core.  By creating and offering us this truly generous and welcoming space to come together and share our work and our fellowship, we were able to continue to elevate the complexity and wonder of our human conditions and experiential tetherings.  

This next Summer of 2025, August 11th through the 15th, we look forward to meeting in Roskilde Denmark for our 42nd IHSR Conference exploring the theme of Grasping Lived Experiences – What, Why, and How. Hoping to see you there!  

Over the last four years, we have been working hard to update the IHSR Newsletter listserv.  It is important to note that, due to confidentiality and online privacy standards at many institutions, presenters and participants at the conferences are not automatically added to the IHSR emailing listserv, so please make sure to reach out to let us know that you would like to be included and what your preferred email contact is.

Once again, thank you for all of your strivings and for continuing to reach for these moments when something new can grow within and between us.    

If there is anything I can do to help you share your work and participate in this network, please let me know by emailing me.  Hope to see you again this next August in Denmark.  Until then, take such good care of yourselves.  

Gratefully,

Claire LeBeau

Report from the Conference Organizer on the 2024 41st IHSR Conference -Molloy University, New York  – June 2024 

Submitted by Judith James-Borga, Molloy University

The 41st International Human Science Research Conference was held at Molloy University in Rockville Center, New York, USA, June 9-13, 2024. The Chair of the planning committee, Dr. Judith James-Borga, assembled an amazing planning committee that created the theme “Advancing Human Science Research: Creating Gracious Space.” The conference began with a pre-conference workshop, “Applying Phenomenological Procedures to Research in the Human Sciences.” facilitated by Scott D. Churchill, PhD., Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of Dallas and a founding member of the Interdisciplinary Coalition of North American Phenomenologists (ICNAP). The pre-conference attendees included scholars from The Bahamas, Canada, Denmark, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United States. Participants were welcomed by the university’s president, the Provost, the deans of the school of nursing and the school of education.

Each full conference day began with a keynote speaker presentation. The keynote speakers were Rebecca Lloyd, PhD., Professor & Director of Graduate Studies of Education at the University of Ottawa; Stephen Smith, PhD, Professor of Education at Simon Fraser University; and Anne Kubai, PhD., Associate Professor of World Christianity and Interreligious Studies at the school for Historical and Contemporary Studies in Södertörn University, Sweden and Professor Extraordinaire at the University of South Africa, Institute of Gender Studies.

In addition, the conference featured three midday panel sessions and 51 individual or collaborative sessions. Conference participants were lodged at hotels in the Rockville Center area or Molloy University, ensuring affordable on-campus housing. Some attendees privately booked bed and breakfast lodging in Rockville Center and surrounding neighborhoods. A complimentary shuttle service between the hotels and the University was provided. Breakfast and lunch were served each day, and many took advantage of the warm weather to enjoy each other’s company on the campus grounds while sitting outside to have their meal. The conference culminated with a gala of dinner, dancing, and camaraderie at a facility with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. Some attendees took advantage of walking alongside the beach; the atmosphere during the conference was truly reflective of the conference theme: Advancing Human Science Research: Creating Gracious Space.

Conference attendees reported that this conference reflected the participants' energy as everyone contributed to a very collegial and fun event. The regular conference fee was $500 and $425 for early registration, including the annual gala celebration. The committee also set a reduced fee for

Student Attendees - We thank Molloy University for providing $2500.00 to offset the conference cost. This allowed for the conference fee to be manageable, as the registration fee alone was insufficient to finance a conference of this type in this financial environment.

The last half day of the conference consisted of a debriefing and summary presentation by the keynote speakers. Dr. Churchill and Dr. Halling provided a historical perspective of the conference, and Dr. Claire LeBeau articulated an overview of expectations for the conference (see Business Notes below). Volunteers for the 2025 and 2026 conferences were sought.

The planning committee members and administrative staff were acknowledged for their diligent work over the past two years in preparation for the success of this conference. A special thank you to Claire LeBeau, Scott Churchill, Eileen Engelke, and Steen Halling for sharing their expertise with planning committee members, especially in spearheading the search for and identification of the candidates for Keynote speakers.

We look forward to the 2025 conference and are willing to share our experience with their planning committee.

IHSR Business Meeting Notes From The 2024 Molloy University Conference

Submitted by Claire LeBeau, Seattle University

Report on the Business Meeting, 2024 International Human Science Research Conference, Molloy University, June 13th, 2024

  1. The first order of business was a panel presentation on the tradition of Human Science Research as with the conference keynote speakers, Scott Churchill, Rebecca Lloyd, Stephen Smith, and Anne Kubai. In this discussion, they each explored what they had learned and where they came from describing human science research as an “organic methodology” that allows for creativity and innovation. 
  2. Next, Dr. Churchill and Dr. Halling provided a historical perspective of the conference, and Dr. Claire LeBeau articulated an overview of expectations for the conference (See History and Best Practices Sections Below). 
  3. Following this overview, Dr. Judith James-Borga acknowledged central roles and immense efforts of the Molloy conference Planning Committee members; Dena Alberti, Patricia Bennett, Macia Caton, Lorraine Emeghebo, Noreen Giordano, Debra Hanna, Janice Kelly, Amanda Lewis, Patricia Mason, Randy Pellew, Sherry Radowitz, Angel Zimmerman.  In addition, the Molloy University's Organizing Committee acknowledged Dr. Hwa Young Caruso, Professor of Art at Molloy University, ​and her student, Ms. Willow Chamblin, Visual Arts Education Major at Molloy University, ​for the creation of the 2024 IHSRC conference logo.IHSRC conference logo 
  4. Molloy University's Organizing Committee acknowledged the work of the University’s Business Associates in securing grant funding and business sponsorship for the conference; Danielle Ortiz, Celines Delgado, Francis Bonnet. 
  5. As a group, we explored some of the lessons we learned from this conference and potential ideas going forward for the future such as: possibly providing contact information for all of the participants (in the registration – perhaps include a field for a web site, email, and best contact information), providing copies of the papers when available, potentially offering an interactive web site, using a Microsoft Project as a project management software tool for organizing the schedules, space, etc. for the conferences going forward, publishing abstracts ahead of time. 
  6. For 2025, Vibeke Østergaard Steenfeldt offered University College Absalon in Roskilde, Denmark. The Danish conference team (Sine Herholdt, Stine Roikjær, Malene Beck, Bente Martinsen and Vibeke Østergaard Steenfeldt) will plan and coordinate the 42nd IHSR Conference from August 11th to the 15th 2025 with a preconference and get together reception the first day. (See Details Below).

Anecdotally and for further consideration, for 2026 in North America, Matthew Kruger-Ross from West Chester University, offered that it may be a possibility to hold the 43rd IHSR in West Chester, PA in the United States.  Christian Thiboutot suggested another possibility for the 2026 North American conference could be the Université of Québec at Montréal.  Steen Halling recommends that anyone who can come to Denmark and propose to host for the next North American conferences, it will either be in 2026 or 2028.  

Formally, our colleagues from the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica presented at the Business Meeting an offer to host the 2027 or 2028 gathering.  

To end the meeting, for our final farewell of our gracious time and space at Molloy, Dena Alberti led us in a centering exercise where we each clasped an unbroken thread of beautiful yarn while we spontaneously shared our first impressions of how we were feeling from our time together.  At last, we passed a pair of scissors to cut a small piece of the yarn to take with us to remind us of our time together and the sense of fullness that we felt until we could meet again. Thank you to everyone who made the 41st IHSR Conference so special and gracious indeed.  

International Human Science Research Conference History

What is IHSRC?

Since 1982, The International Human Science Research Conference (IHSRC) has been a loosely linked group of individuals with an interest in Human Science Research (Qualitative Research in Phenomenology) and its applications.  The IHSR Newsletter is an annual publication of the previous year’s annual conference proceedings, a brief summary of upcoming conference plans, lists of other relevant events, news and publications pertaining to the Human Science community worldwide.  The listserv for the Newsletter is not an organization per se but rather a list of interested parties who want to keep informed of the shared community’s events (ie. IHSR Annual Conference), as well as related engagements and publications. Since 1988, the Newsletter has been headquartered at Seattle University and has been shaped entirely by volunteer editorial effort.

Conference Sites and Themes, 1982-2024

  • 1982: School of Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. Phenomenology of Childhood. 
  • 1983: Department of Psychology, Duquesne University, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, USA. No theme. 
  • 1984: Department of Psychology, State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, USA. No theme. 
  • 1985: May 21-25. Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. No theme 
  • 1986:  May 27-31. University of California, Berkeley; Co-sponsored by the California State University, Hayward, and the Saybrook Institute, USA: Dialogue Within Diversity. 
  • 1987:  May 26-30. School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada. Towards Integration in Human Science.  
  • 1988: June 8-12th. Department of Psychology and the College of Arts and Sciences, Seattle University, Washington, USA. The Ethical Foundations and Implications of Human Science Research. 
  • 1989:  Aug 18-22. Institute of Psychology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark. No theme. Starting this year, the conference alternated between Europe and North America although in 1995 and 2001 South Africa and Japan were the venues rather than North America. 
  • 1990:  June 9-13. Faculty of the Educational Sciences, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada. Intersubjectivity.  
  • 1991:  Aug 18-22. Departments of Psychology, Educational and Educational Research, and History of Science and Ideas, University of Goteborg, Sweden. Human Science as Methodology. 
  • 1992:  June 9-13. The Institute for Action Research, the Departments of Human Development and Child Studies, and of Philosophy, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA. The Hermeneutic Circle: Voice, Narrative and Meaning Making in the Life-Worlds of Children and Adults.  
  • 1993: Aug 10-14. Department of Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Human Sciences at the Intersection of Politics, Social Change and Development and Political Decision Making. 
  • 1994: Jun 14- 18th. Department of Psychology, St. Joseph’s College, West Hartford, Connecticut, USA. No theme.  
  • 1995: Aug 21-25. Department of Psychology, University of Pretoria, Eskrom Conference Centre, Midrand, South Africa. No theme.  
  • 1996: Aug 14-17. Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada: Beyond Form. Transformation through Imagery and Action. Page 15 
  • 1997: Aug 16-20. Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. The Challenges for the Human Sciences in a Technological World. 
  • 1998: June 10-14. Sheldon Jackson College, Sitka, Alaska. Interfaces: Heritages and Cultures 
  • 1999: July 26-29. Learning and Teaching Research Institute (and others), Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom. Qualitative Research: Unity and Diversity. 
  • 2000: June 12-15. Southampton College, Long Island University, New York, USA. Celebrating Openness. 
  • 2001: Aug 19-22. Counseling Institute, Taisho University, Tokyo, Japan. Caring for the Next Generation. 
  • 2002. June 19-22. University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada. Inciting Dialogue at the Edges. 
  • 2003: Aug 13-16th. Ersta Skondal University College, Stockholm, Sweden. Human Science Research and Human Vulnerability. 
  • 2004: Aug 5-8th. Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario Canada. Embodiment and its Consequences in Human Science Research. 
  • 2005: Aug 10-13. Bournemouth University, United Kingdom. Values.  
  • 2006: Aug 3-6. John F. Kennedy University, Pleasant Hills, California. The Multicultural Future of Qualitative Research. 
  • 2007: June 13-16. University of Trento, Rovereto Branch, Italy. New Frontiers of Phenomenology: Beyond Postmodernism in Empirical Research. 
  • 2008: June 11-14, Ramapo College, Ramapo, NJ, USA. Imagination and the Human Sciences. 
  • 2009: June 17-20, Molde University College, Molde, Norway. No theme. 
  • 2010:  August 4-8. Seattle University, Seattle, USA. Giving Voice to Experience. 
  • 2011. July 27-30. Hosted by the Open University at Oxford University, Oxford, UK. Intertwining Body-self-world. 
  • 2012: June 25-29. University of Quebec at Montreal, Renewing the Encounter between the Human Sciences, the Arts and the Humanities”. 
  • 2013. July 27-30. University of Aalborg, Denmark. Creativity in human science research, methodology and theory. 
  • 2014: Saint Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Advancing Human Science: Recovering Subjectivity, Relation, Process. 
  • 2015. August 11-15. Sør-Trøndelag University College, Trondheim, Norway. Culture and Morality. 
  • 2016. July 3-7. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. Life phenomenology: Movement, Affect and Language. 
  • 2017. July 11-14. Karkonosze College, Jelenia Gora, Poland. Between necessity and choice: Existential dilemmas in the lifeword. 
  • 2018. June 24-28, Wofford College, Spartanburg, Spartanburg, USA. Phenomenology and Dialogue: Exploring questions of language, inclusivity, and accessibility.
  • 2019. June 24 -28, Molde University College, Molde, Norway. Joy, Suffering, and Death – Understanding Contrasting Existentials in the Lifespan
  • 2020 – Postponed due to the Covid-19 Global Pandemic 
  • 2021 - Postponed due to the Covid-19 Global Pandemic
  • 2022. June 12-16, Pace University, New York, USA. Building Bridges: State of the Science
  • 2023. August 7-11, Tokai University, Tokyo, Japan. Intercorporeality: (Re) Connecting people beyond the social distance
  • 2024. June 9-13, Molloy University, Rockville Center, New York, USA. Creating Gracious Space
  • 2025- August 11-15, University College Absalon, Roskilde Denmark. Grasping Lived Experiences – What, Why, and How 
  • 2026 - ?? North American venue 
  • 2027- ?? Non-North American venue
  • 2028 - ?? – North American venue

International Human Science Research Conference – Best Practices and Traditions

Traditions

Theme: 

The theme is selected by the organizers and ideally is one that has broad appeal even while it may be of particular interest to the organizers.  Not every conference has had a theme (e.g., West Hartford, USA, 1994; Quebec, Canada, 1990). Some of the past themes include: the Values that Bind us (Bournemouth, 2005), Caring for the Next Generation (Japan, 2001), Human Science Research and Human Vulnerability (Stockholm, Sweden, 2003), and Renewing the Encounter between Human Sciences, the Arts and the Humanities (Montreal, Canada, 2012). 

Participants are encouraged to submit presentations that are related to the conference theme but it has never been a requirement that presentations be related to the theme. Typically, only a modest number of papers address the conference theme. 

Reception to start the Conference:

It has become a tradition that there is a social event (e.g., wine and cheese) event the evening before the actual presentations start (as well as the possibility of registering) so that people can socialize and get oriented to the conference.  

Presentations: 

Individual presentations are ordinarily given 40 minutes, with the understanding that 10 minutes be set aside for questions and discussions. The general rule is that conversation and dialogue are critical parts of the conference and so there is a clear expectation that there be time for discussion at the end of every presentation, including keynotes, symposia, and paper presentations. 

There are always a number of presentations at the same time (except for when keynote speakers present). The idea is to have varied presentations at the same time so that participants can choose between areas such as empirical findings, philosophy, education, healthcare, research methods etc. However, the ideal is also to avoid having too many presentations at the same time. If there are too many, some presenters may have very few people attending and participants may miss a lot of presentations that they would like to hear. 

Each year there are some presenters who have a very small audience. There is probably no way to avoid that, but there are some things that might make this less of a problem:  

  1. Scheduling—avoid having people who are relatively unknown and whose topics are very specialized present at the same time as the most popular presenters,
  2. Help presenters, especially those whose command of English is not so strong, develop abstracts and titles that that are a little more interesting than the ones they submitted initially. 

It is important to have brief breaks between all sessions—as well as slightly longer mid-morning and afternoon coffee/tea breaks. 

There are no specific rules for panel discussions or symposia except that usually these require three or more presenters. However, if too much time is given for them, fewer people will attend. Typically, a panel presentation is the length of two individual presentations. 

Submissions of Abstracts:

Typically, the organizers ask participants to submit abstracts of about 250 words for individual papers and longer for panels or symposia. The deadline for the submissions is listed in the fall Newsletter and on the web site for the conference. Please note that the great majority of submissions almost always come in just before the deadline! 

Keynotes:

The benefit of keynotes or invited presenters is that they can address the conference theme, attract more participants (if they are famous or highly respected—for example Paul Ricoeur in 1990), stimulate discussion and debate because most people will hear them. The drawback of keynotes is that they may be expensive to bring in, reduce the number of slots for others to present, and may not be as interesting as some of the regular presenters. The number of presenters has varied considerably (from one at Seattle in 1988 to 4 in Sheffield, UK in 1999, to 17 in Ottawa in 1987). Around three is probably a good number, assuming that the conference is just three and half days, which has been the norm for this conference. 

Some conferences have also had keynote panels. These can work well with good chairing, an interesting topic, compelling panelists with various points of view, and time for dialogue among the panelists and with the audience. 

Conference Cost:

The registration fee has varied over the years.  For example, the registration cost for Montreal in 2012 was $235, including coffee breaks and snacks, while this year in 2024, due to 12 years of inflation, the fee is double this amount. Some countries are obviously more expensive than others while in some cases there were outside sources of funding that gave the conference organizers the possibility of reducing costs. Overall, it is good to keep in mind that most of those who attend have modest travel budgets, and keeping registration fees and lodging in the moderate range is desirable. Setting a realistic registration fee that covers cost but is not so high that it discourages attendance is important. 

In the past a good number of students have attended and some who presented Student involvement is something that we should encourage. There is no rule that there is a lower registration fee although for some conferences this has been true. It is a good way to increase student involvement. Another way to support student participation is by offering scholarships or bursaries. 

Business Meeting:

The agenda for business meeting usually starts with:

  1. an evaluation of the current conference
  2. expression of appreciation to the current year hosts
  3. a presentation on next year’s conference
  4. consideration of proposals for the hosting of the conference two years ahead
  5. brief discussion of the newsletter
  6. other items that may come up. Generally an hour and half is enough time.  

Do encourage people to attend regardless of whether they have come to the conference before. Emphasize that this is a ‘community’ event. The end of the second to last day of the conference is a good time to schedule it. Having it on the last day is not desirable because by that time many people are packing or have already left. 

Conference Proceedings/Program:

The program should list all the basic information about the conference and, of course, list the schedule of presentations, as well as the abstracts. It is also customary—and helpful—to give everyone’s contact information—or at least their emails. This list should include everyone who registered, not just presenters. 

Please email the list of email addresses to the HSRC Newsletter editor (in a WORD Document) after the conference so new addresses can be added to the newsletter notification list). 

Restaurants/Local Places to Visit:

This is by no means a requirement but if the host faculty and students know of restaurants they would recommend, please let the participants know. Even a list with five or six places would be appreciated, along with recommendations for pubs, places to shop, and local attractions. 

Logistics: 
  1. A good website, one that can readily be updated, for the conference will make life easier for everyone, organizers as well as participants. Lots of information about travel, weather, accommodations, and sightseeing is helpful. Links to maps and other resources can make people’s travel experience more pleasant and less confusing. 
  2. Make it clear at the outset whether it is possible for people who are not presenting, to register at the conference site. Also, be clear whether or not participants can sign up for special events (e.g., cruises or dinners) at the beginning of the conference. Highlight DEADLINES for submission of abstracts, registering for the conference, signing up for accommodations and so on. 
  3. If the institution has student housing that is available to participants that is an asset because it is likely to be less expensive than hotels and right on the campus. Be careful however, to give a realistic picture of what the accommodation is like and what is or is not available in each room. 
  4. Having a good registration website also makes life easier for everyone. Ideally, this web site allows registrants to make changes (until a specified deadline) in the number of nights they are staying etc. 
  5. Plan ahead for what your refund policy will be, whether you decide that you cannot really give refunds or whether refunds might be possible given adequate attendance. 
  6. Communicate with those registered by email as well as through updating your website. Some people will rely more on one than the other. 
  7. It is a good idea to send out a draft of the program to presenters. But do tell them that if they do not respond with suggestions for change of time etc. then they cannot make changes later. 
  8. In planning the dates and times for the conference, please keep the following in mind: a) many participants will be flying long distances and from different time zones, b) there are often days of the week when airfares may be lower, c) avoid as far as possible, conflicts with other conferences that participants may want to attend (e.g., the American Psychological Association Convention), d) the last day is typically a half day meeting. Having interesting events or speakers as part of that day may help to keep people from leaving early. 
  9. There are always problems with technology so it is important to have tech support people available. Also, let participants know in advance what resources (e.g., Wi-Fi) are and are not available  

Best Practices and Timelines

  • During the Conference: The business meeting during the conference is a central organizing and planning priority for exploring proposals for the next 2 years of conference venues.  Ideally, this meeting will not be on the very last day of the conference so that more people can be in attendance.  
  • Between the current summer conference and Fall of that same year: The next summer’s conference organizers should plan to…
    1. Create a conference committee and team 
    2. Create conference theme
    3. Create a web site conference shell on the host institution’s web site that can be added to as details and deadlines become available.
    4. (the reason this is needed earlier rather than later is because when the Newsletter is sent out, it can only be as a link.   No attachments can be included in the listserv communications due to institutional email filters.)
    5. Create conference dates and deadlines for abstracts. Generally, a good rule of thumb is to have the deadline for abstracts be 3 to 4 months before the conference.
    6. Create a pathway or means for abstract submission; either a web site or an email with the details for required specifics (length, format, contact info, and when notification can be expected)
    7. Begin organizing a list of housing options and restaurant options
    8. Begin organizing transportation options
      • ***Conference Keynotes can be added later
      • ***Email Claire LeBeau with this information before November 15th of the year before the conference so that this information can be included in the Newsletter.
  • Roughly 3 to 4 months before the Conference: The conference committee should plan to:
      1. Organize Keynote Speaker(s)
      2. Organize space and rooms for event
      3. Begin to create a schedule for the presentations 
      4. Begin to notify participants of abstract approval with rough idea of schedule
      5. Establish registration fees and lodging fees (consider having an early-bird registration rate and deadline to have more notice for capacity)
      6. Create student rates (consider offering volunteer tuition free or reduced rates for student volunteers)
      7. Create registration link for web site 
  • Miscellaneous Considerations
      1. Consider having a book table to display and or sell presenter’s books
      2. Consider having the Business Meeting on the same day as the Gala event
      3. Provide notice to all of the participants when they register that their names and emails will added to the IHSR listserv unless they ask request not to

IHSRC 2025 – 42nd  IHSR Conference, University College Absalon, Roskilde, Denmark, Monday August 11th – Friday August 15, 2024

Theme: Grasping Lived Experiences – What, Why, and How

Join us for the 42nd International Human Science Research Conference, where we will explore the rich significance embedded within the lived experiences of individuals. How do we understand the deeper meanings of people's subjective experiences? What scientific value do these experiences hold, and how can we best explore them through phenomenological and hermeneutic approaches?

This link will be updated and developed with more details when they become available.

  • Dates: August 11-15, 2025
  • Location: Roskilde, Denmark

Stay tuned for more details and submission deadlines. 

Grasping lived experiences involves the attempt to grasp at the deeper meaning embedded within the personal, subjective experiences of individuals as they navigate their world. These experiences are rich with significance, offering insight into how people perceive, interpret, and interact with their surroundings. However, questions arise: What exactly are these lived experiences, what scientific value do they hold, and how can they be explored in a way that aligns with phenomenological and hermeneutic ontology?

Grasping at meaning, in this context, becomes an essential task for those studying lived experiences, as it requires engaging with the nuanced layers of human perception and interpretation. This effort is at the heart of a tradition that values deep reflection over quick conclusions, even in a world increasingly demanding immediate answers and concrete actions.

The 42nd International Human Science Research Conference focuses on these very questions, seeking to bridge the gap between ancient philosophical wisdom and the future of human science. By addressing how we grasp and interpret lived experiences, the conference emphasizes the importance of maintaining a connection between human experiences and the evolving challenges of tomorrow’s scientific inquiry.

We invite researchers to submit abstracts that delve into topics such as:

  • Methodological reflections regarding the use of lived experience descriptions in research 
  • Ethical issues regarding lived experiences in research
  • Lived experiences and power issues – whose voices are heard
  • Examples on studies using lived experiences as empirical departure
  • How to give voice to vulnerable people
  • The use of narratives in research
  • Aesthetic dimensions of lived experiences – Investigating the interplay between art, aesthetics, and the lived experiences of individuals
  • Other topics

We look forward to seeing you there!

Call for Venues and Sponsors for the 2026 43rd IHSR Conference and Onward

At the 2024 Business Meeting in New York, there was brief discussion about possible sites for the 2026 and 2027 and 2028 conferences. Please come to the business meeting in Denmark or please reach out to let me know if your organization would like to sponsor the 2026 IHSR Conference or any future gathering by emailing me.

  • 2025- August 11-15, University College Absalon,  Roskilde Denmark. Grasping Lived Experiences – What, Why, and How 
  • 2026 - ?? North American venue 
  • 2027- ?? Non-North American venue
  • 2028 - ?? – North American venue

European Journal for Qualitative Research in Psychotherapy

Link: https://ejqrp.org/index.php/ejqrp/issue/view/15

EJQRP has joined Twitter/X. Look for us on Twitter/X under our handle - @ejqrp

https://ejqrp.org/index.php/ejqrp/announcement/view/23

The mission of the European Journal for Qualitative Research in Psychotherapy (EJQRP) is to provide an accessible forum for research that advances the theory and practice of psychotherapy and supports practitioner-orientated research.

We, the Editorial Team, appreciate the limitations that currently govern opportunities for research and academic scholarship, including restricted access to international research journals. The hope is that the freely available, online format will help make research more widely available to practitioners.

We celebrate our qualitative values of being open and inclusive by welcoming all forms of qualitative research and respecting diverse approaches and understandings.  We are mindful of the many cultures and languages within Europe and we appreciate the challenge of writing in English when it is not the author’s first language.  We encourage authors to submit parts of their research (data set, summary of findings, appendices) in the authors' first language if that is helpful. Extra support with writing and editing is available to all authors, particularly if English is not the author's first language. 

The journal offers a space for any qualitative research which aims to explore psychotherapeutic practice, whether in Europe or further afield. We welcome contributions from different methodological and theoretical standpoints, as well as relevant literature reviews, critical explorations of methodology and philosophical research. Submissions of qualitative empirical research examples are particularly encouraged.  

We also wish to encourage dialogue and debate within our relatively young profession. As we see it, this involves not only exploring the richness of psychotherapy practice but also supporting and challenging one another. To this end, the Editorial Team will try to make themselves available to positively encourage a new generation of writers/researchers to share their research experience. If you have an idea for a possible article but you are unsure about how to proceed, please feel free to contact us.  

Transdisciplinary Phenomenological Research Group, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA

Because our meetings have been conducted via Zoom technology for several years, the Transdisciplinary Phenomenology Research Group has been able to continue our regular Tuesday sessions despite the pandemic. At present the TPRG has 25 faculty and students from 9 universities. Most TPRG participants are from psychology, nursing, or education, but we also have group members from social work and child and family studies. At a typical Tuesday meeting, we usually have at least 12-15 in attendance. Those interested in recent publications can access our website.

The transdisciplinary phenomenology research group at University of Tennessee in Knoxville offers collegial critique and support to faculty and students conducting phenomenological research. The diverse ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds of group members contribute to lively discussion. Weekly TPRG meetings, taking place via Zoom technology, currently involve people from 6 universities. Disciplines include education, nursing, clinical psychology, and child and family studies. The two-hour meetings allot time to one or more researchers who would like feedback on a question, assistance with a bracketing interview, or aid with analysis of interview transcripts. Transcripts are read aloud because hearing a text is different from reading it. One member takes the part of the interviewer and another takes the part of the participant. The reading continues until a group member asks the reading to stop because something stands out regarding the meaning of the phenomenon. Alternate perspectives are discussed until the group is ready to move on. The group serves a mentoring function for the novice phenomenologist, and more experienced researchers discover how much more illuminating the group discussion is, in contrast to solitary reading. More information about the TPRG, including publications and dissertations, can be found on our website. To visit a Zoom meeting of the TPRG, contact Sandra Thomas to obtain permission and log-in information.

Sandra P. Thomas, PhD, RN, FAAN

Editor, "Issues in Mental Health Nursing"

Sara and Ross Croley Endowed Professor in Nursing

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

College of Nursing

1200 Volunteer Blvd.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4180

USA

Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Conference

95th Annual Convention will be in Denver, Colorado

April 10-12, 2025

World Congress of Existential Therapy June 3-6, 2026

Call for Papers 

Fourth World Congress of Existential Therapy

“Community, Authenticity, & the Mystery of Being”

June 3-6, 2026 Aurora/Denver, Colorado

The Call for Papers for the Fourth World Congress of Existential Therapy is now open! We are accepting proposals for: • Papers (50-minutes or 15-20 minutes) • Symposium (50 minutes or 1 hour 50 minutes; minimum of 3 presenters) • Experiential Workshops (50 minutes) • Poster Presentations (We will have several poster session & a best poster award.)

We anticipate a high number of submissions; therefore, we will only be able to accept a limited number of full papers and longer symposiums.

Deadlines: The deadline for paper, symposium, and experiential workshop submissions is next November 1, 2025. Submissions by this date will be notified of acceptance prior to the Early Bird Registration Deadline. The Final Poster Deadline is March 1, 2026; however, submissions by November 1, 2025 receive priority consideration.

Submit your proposal here. 

  • Acceptance of all paper, symposium, & experiential presentations is contingent on all presenters registering by January 31, 2026.

European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry 

2025 edition of ECQI:
7-10 January, 2025

https://www.europeannetworkqi.org/european-congress-qualitative-inquiry-2025 

Hope, Humility and Playfulness in a Precarious World

Organization: Centre for Creative-Relational Inquiry, University of Edinburgh, UK

 

The Centre for Creative-Relational Inquiry (CCRI) just opened up and  looks forward to welcoming qualitative researchers to Edinburgh from across the globe – faculty, students, independent scholars, creative practitioners, and more – to the 8th European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry in January 2025.

The precarity of our world does not fit neatly into disciplinary silos. This conference will seek to foster our mutual interdependency and interconnectedness as qualitative inquirers and create space for community that after Rebecca Solnit, does hope together, and after Sandy Grande realises this hope is a hope that lives in contingency with the past.

We invite research as an act of humility: a humility that with Eve Tuck and Monique Guishard can throw us off our thrones of knowing and can become our gateway into vulnerability.  We invite research that troubles both the fantasy of individual autonomy and the hubris of anthropocentrism. As a conference taking place in Scotland and in the UK, we invite research that attends to a decolonialism beyond tokenism that challenges its own movement and questions the specifics of its own positionality.

We invite research that plays: with theory, concepts, questions, philosophy and creative ways of doing and making.

Come and join us to extend, deepen, re-frame and challenge these propositions and to bring, create and generate new ones; propositions that are slow and urgent, generous and edgy, open and restless.

Let’s meet in January 2025. Tell others. Bring others. Bring students, fellow students, colleagues. Bring your energies, commitments, imaginations, creativities, and possibilities. Bring coats, hats and wellies! Bring you! Bring your work-in-progress, process. Come as you are!

Registration

Environmental & Architectural Phenomenology

The summer-fall 2024 issue of Environmental & Architectural Phenomenology is available here.

This issue celebrates 35 years of publication and includes the following items:

  • Philosopher Ingrid Leman Stefanovic provides a celebratory commentary on 35 years of EAP.
  • EAP editor David Seamon draws on philosopher Paul Ricoeur’s “hermeneutics of restoration of meaning” as one thematic means to identify EAP’s major aim over the years.
    • Geographer Edward Relph considers artificial intelligence as it might be critiqued via the thinking of philosopher Hannah Arendt and her insights on modernity’s invention of totalitarianism.
    • Philosopher Kenn Maly examines the phenomenon of water via the four qualities of substance, flow, non-duality, and freedom.
    • Chinese geographers Xu Huang and Zichuan Guo offer an ethnographic picture of Chengdu, China’s He-Ming Teahouse, opened in 1923.
    • Artist and writer Vicki King considers how the paintings of Canadian-American abstract-expressionist artist Agnes Martin “evoke sensual memories of New Mexico.”

A complete digital EAP archive (1990-2024) is available here.

David Seamon

Editor, Environmental and Architectural Phenomenology

Changes to the IHSR Newsletter Archives

Since the early years of the International Human Science Research Conferences, Seattle University has been hosting the IHSR Newsletter in a variety of formats from physically mailed hard copies to emails with Word documents and PDF attachments.  Because many University IT servers screen out potential spam emails with attachments from unknown sources, we have moved to hosting the Newsletter as a web page on the Seattle University web site.  We will email the newsletter as a link to the listserv every Fall.  In the process of making changes to the Seattle University web site, we have had to make changes to how we post the Newsletter.  If you would like to access any of the archives of the Newsletter prior to 2023, please email Claire LeBeau.

Job Posting

Assistant Professor – Master of Arts in Psychology (MAP) Program

The Department of Psychology at Seattle University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position from candidates with a familiarity and appreciation of Humanistic and Existential-Phenomenological Clinical Psychology beginning September 1, 2025.

The Master of Arts in Psychology (MAP) program seeks candidates with experience in clinical teaching, mentorship, and practice, and a demonstrated commitment to work with ethnically diverse and underserved communities. Candidates should possess skills in psychological assessment, and an interest in teaching assessment through socially-critical and collaborative lenses. An ideal candidate may also have research or scholarly interests in the study of psychological development in diverse social contexts and/or community-based engagement and programming in mental health care. 

The responsibilities of the position will include teaching in Seattle University’s clinically focused graduate psychology program and some teaching in its undergraduate psychology program. The new faculty member will be expected to advance a program of ongoing research and scholarship. They will provide service to the graduate program, department, college, and university.  They will assist with the graduate program’s admissions process, with student advising and mentorship, and curriculum development and assessment. The candidate will also have the opportunity to develop classes and teach in their areas of interest and specialization.

The Master of Arts in Psychology (MAP) program is grounded in phenomenological and human sciences approaches to clinical training. The broader Psychology Department embraces a variety of theoretical perspectives, including human science, natural science, and social scientific approaches to understanding human experience.  We strongly value dialogue, collegiality, and collaboration across these perspectives, as well as across disciplines of the social sciences and humanities.

Learn more at the job posting link.

Links/Connections

International Human Science Research Conference Network. The Internet Facebook page set up by Zdzisław Wąsik the convener of the 36 IHSRC in Jelenia Góra https://pl-pl.facebook.com/ihsrcn/ 

Friends Who Like the International Human Science Research Group. The Internet Facebook page set up by Zdzisław Wąsik the convener of the 36 IHSRC in Jelenia Góra. Available at:

Center for Interpretive and Qualitative Research. Located at Duquesne University, this center has as its purpose the exploration and development of interpretive and qualitative methods. http://www.duq.edu/academics/schools/liberal-arts/centers/interpretive-and-qualitative-research 

Encyclopaideia: Journal of Phenomenology and Education. This is an international, peer-reviewed journal that publishes articles representing the philosophical tradition of phenomenology and its connection with education. Articles about conceptual, theoretical, methodological, empirical and ethical issues in education are welcome. Contributions are accepted both in Italian and English. The journal is published by the University of Bologna. https://publons.com/journal/24878/encyclopaideia-journal-of-phenomenology-and-educat 

Environmental and Architectural Phenomenology (EAP). This newsletter has been in existence for twenty years. Edited by David Seamon, the newsletter is published three times a year. EAP is a forum and clearing house for research and design that incorporates a qualitative approach to environmental and architectural experience. The 2022 winter/spring issue is available at the following link: https://www.academia.edu/63030511/ENVIRONMENTAL_and_ARCHITECTURAL_PHENOMENOLOGY_winter_spring_2022_ 

Back issues are now available on the website. https://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/1522 

Existential-Humanistic Institute, San Francisco, USA. According to its web site, edited by Kirk Schneider, the goal of the institute “is to support both existentially and humanistically informed psychologies and psychotherapies throughout the world.” Its newsletter is on its web site as well as a bibliography, a listing of workshops and events, and a directory of related links. http://www.ehinstitute.org/ 

Gendlin Online Library. The Focusing Institute has a powerful new web-based resource containing over 100 of Eugene Gendlin’s works from 1950 to present. Gendlin is distinguished among philosophers and psychologists for his articulation of the link between logic and felt understanding, which he calls the Philosophy of Implicit Entry. Included in the library are published articles, chapters, monographs, and many unpublished articles and conference presentations, all available for free downloading. In some instances, several chapters from his books or a special introduction to them are available. Gendlin’s books are also listed in the library and can be purchased from the Focusing Institute or elsewhere. The library is a great resource for the Human Sciences. http://previous.focusing.org/gendlin/gol_intro.asp 

The Humanistic Psychologist. This long-established journal is devoted to reflective inquiry into humanistic psychologies, broadly defined. It publishes papers on qualitative research; humanistic, existential, and constructivist psychotherapies; transpersonal/spiritual psychology and psychotherapy; as well as phenomenological, feminist, and multicultural perspectives. In the spirit of a forward moving field, its editorial board welcomes submissions representing both modern conceptions and postmodern critiques of humanistic psychologies. http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/hum/index.aspx 

Interdisciplinary Coalition of North American Phenomenologists (ICNAP). See notice under calls for papers, above. http://icnap.org/ 

International Network of Personal Meaning. This network is related to both of the above. It is a multidisciplinary, learned society, dedicated to the advancement of knowledge on the vital role of meaning in mental and physical health, spiritual development and other areas of life. It was founded by Dr. Paul Wong. http://www.meaning.ca/ 

Journal of Phenomenological Psychology. This journal publishes articles that advance the discipline of psychology from the perspective of the Continental phenomenology movement. Within that tradition, phenomenology is understood in the broadest possible sense including its transcendental, existential, hermeneutic, and narrative strands and is not meant to convey the thought of any one individual. https://brill.com/view/journals/jpp/jpp-overview.xml 

European Journal of Qualitative Research in Psychotherapy. The journal offers a space for any qualitative research which aims to explore psychotherapeutic practice, whether in Europe or further afield. We welcome contributions from different methodological and theoretical standpoints, as well as relevant literature reviews, critical explorations of methodology and philosophical research. Submissions of qualitative empirical research examples are particularly encouraged.  http://www.ejqrp.org 

Middle Voices.  Middle Voices is a peer-reviewed journal, which aims to carry forward the critical spirit of the human-science tradition of psychology in contemporary form. We seek original articles, including qualitative and quantitative research, critical and theoretical work, and symposium-based papers. Exceptional creative or experiential work may also be considered if it significantly engages with themes from human-science psychology. We invite scholarships from the social sciences and humanities, as well as post-graduate, faculty, and independent research. https://dsc.duq.edu/middle_voices/ 

Michigan School of Professional Psychology. Clark Moustakas, Michigan, USA, founding member of the Humanistic Psychology movement and originator of Heuristic Research, established the Michigan School of Professional Psychology, formerly the Center for Humanistic Studies, in 1981. MiSPP offers Masters and PsyD degrees in clinical psychology, emphasizing existential-humanistic principles and clinical application. https://mispp.edu/ 

Newsletter of Phenomenology. This free weekly newsletter provides information about what is going on in the world of phenomenology, including information about conferences and workshops, lectures, new books. You can subscribe and submit content via e-mail.  https://newsletter-phenomenology.ophen.org/ 

Phenomenology Online. This site provides public access to articles, monographs, and other materials discussing and exemplifying phenomenological research. It is edited by Max van Manen. The site has access to numerous full-text articles, including many from the journal Phenomenology + Pedagogy http://www.phenomenologyonline.com/ [or] https://www.facebook.com/Newsletter-of-Phenomenology-128221887227929/ 

Psychotherapy Action Network. This organization, founded in 2017, is run entirely by volunteers. It is free to join and they truly welcome new members. . PsiAn has three main purposes: 1) support psychotherapists who do in depth work, 2) inform the public about the nature of psychotherapy, and 3) advocate,  at level of public policy and legislation, for psychotherapy. https://psian.org/ 

Saybrook University Located in San Francisco, this program offers MA and PhD degrees and has a long-standing tradition of emphasis on phenomenological and humanistic psychology. https://www.saybrook.edu/areas-of-study/

Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center at Duquesne University. This website has almost all of the abstracts of the psychology dissertations done at Duquesne University, University of Dallas, and a number from Georgia State University and the Saybrook Institute. The dissertations cover a vast spectrum of topics including hopelessness, forgiveness, depression, infidelity, magic and science, psychotherapy, eating disorders, and many more. https://www.duq.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/simon-silverman-phenomenology-center/index.php

Society for Phenomenology and the Human Sciences. SPHS encourages the application of phenomenological methodology to specific investigations within the human sciences. You are invited to join SPHS in its effort to achieve a deeper understanding of and engagement with the Life-World. SPHS holds its meetings in conjunction with SPEP (Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy). http://www.sphs.info/ 

Society for the Phenomenology of Religious Experience. Available at: http://sophere.org/ 

 

Written by Claire LeBeau, PhD, Editor Emeritus: Steen Halling, Assistant Editor: Diane Tomhave

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

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