About the Centre for
Critical Qualitative Health Research (known
as CQ)
The Centre for Critical Qualitative Health
Research (known as ‘CQ’) is a teaching and
research hub at the University of Toronto.
CQ, and its predecessor “QUIG” (from which
it recently emerged, re-named) is a
widely-used intellectual ‘home’ and resource
for qualitative researchers in the broader
health research community at University of
Toronto, its affiliated research institutes,
and in other research settings in Canada and
internationally.
CQ strives to advance the teaching and
practice of qualitative research in the
health field through the promotion of a
critical and theoretically-informed
perspective on method and substance. By
‘critical’ is meant the capacity to inquire
‘against the grain’: to question the
conceptual and theoretical bases of
knowledge and method, to ask questions that
go beyond prevailing assumptions and
understandings of phenomena, to acknowledge
the socio-political dimensions of health and
health research. By ‘theoretically-informed’
is meant the reflexive, competent and
creative application to the research process
of social theory and theory from other
disciplines. By ‘health research’ is meant
both basic and applied research inquiry into
health, ill-health and health care in their
broadest senses, ranging from micro-level
examination of bodily and social experience
to macro-level exploration of professional,
institutional and societal-level influences
on health and health care.
In 2009, the Qualitative Inquiry Group
(‘QUIG’), was transformed into the Centre
for Critical Qualitative Health Research (CCQHR).
The CCQHR functions primarily as a teaching
and research hub, and network at the
University of Toronto for faculty, students,
and researchers, doing health-related
research across the University of Toronto
and affiliated health teaching/research
units. It also includes qualitative health
researchers/methodologists in other academic
settings in Ontario, Canada and
internationally. The core goal of the CCQHR
is to raise the bar on the teaching and
practice of qualitative research in the
health field through the promotion of a
critical and theoretically-informed
perspective on method and substance.
Goals of CQ
To build local, national and
international capacity in critical,
theoretically-informed qualitative
health research, scholarship and
teaching
To provide superior graduate
education in qualitative research
methodology
To promote innovation, knowledge
development, and critical reflection at
the leading edge of the field of
qualitative methodology
To be a ‘go-to’ site of expertise in
the particular challenges of practicing
and teaching qualitative research in the
health field
To anchor, connect, challenge and
inspire qualitative researchers across
health-related disciplines and
institutional units
History
The Centre for Critical Qualitative
Health Research originated in the early
1990s as a work-in-progress group (called
“QUIG”, Qualitative Inquiry Group) of
students doing qualitative health research,
who met regularly to discuss their work with
a faculty member, Joan Eakin, in the then
Department of Behavioural Science. As
interest in this activity increased,
particularly across the various health
sciences, an interdisciplinary collaboration
developed to advance qualitative research
more broadly. A joint organizing committee
was formed, consisting of individuals from a
number of departments/faculties including
Adrienne Chambon (Social
Work), Cheryl Cott (Physiotherapy),
Denise Gastaldo and Pat McKeever (Lawrence
S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing),
Douglas Martin (Bioethics),
Linda Muzzin (OISE/UT),
Blake Poland (Dalla
Lana School of Public Health), Susan
Rappolt (Occupational
Therapy), and Yves Talbot (Family
Medicine).
Over the years a number of new activities
were undertaken, and a new organizing group
assumed responsibility from the founding
group. New initiatives continued to be
developed, and QUIG became a general
umbrella term for all the various
undertakings that have emerged and been
added to the original mission. Membership
has extended far beyond the University of
Toronto local arena, and included
researchers and students in other
universities in the province of Ontario,
elsewhere in Canada, and internationally.
Much was put in place under QUIG but it
operated informally with improvised
resources. QUIG was transformed into the
Centre for Critical Qualitative Health
Research (CQ for short) in 2009, via a
partnership between the Dalla Lana School of
Public Health and the Lawrence S. Bloomberg
Faculty of Nursing at the University of
Toronto.
Organization and
Governance
The Centre for Critical Qualitative
Health Research is a
cross-faculty/departmental collaborative
undertaking, spearheaded by
Dr. Joan Eakin
(Director) in the Dalla Lana School of
Public Health and
Dr. Denise Gastaldo
(Associate Director) in the Lawrence S.
Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, in concert
with a Steering Committee comprised of the
Centre's Academic Fellows:
Dr. Jan Angus and
Dr. Marcia Facey
(Lawrence S. Bloomberg
Faculty of Nursing),
Dr. Barbara Gibson
(Department of Physical Therapy),
Dr.
Ping-Chun Hsiung (Department of Sociology),
Dr. Pia Kontos (Toronto Rehabilitation
Institute),
Ellen MacEachen (Institute for
Work and Health),
Dr. Blake Poland (Dalla
Lana School of Public Health). Members of
the Steering Committee teach the EQR course
series and provide oversight/feedback to the
Directors regarding the educational and
research efforts of the Centre. -
Bios
Financial and in-kind contributions to
the Centre or its components are provided by
the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and
the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of
Nursing, with contributions to the course
series from graduate units in the Leslie Dan
Faculty of Pharmacy, the Institute of
Medical Sciences, the Department of Health
Policy, Management and Evaluation, the
Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, and
the Graduate Department of Rehabilitation
Science. Assistance with the administration
of related activities of the Centre have
been ably handled by a number of graduate
students over the years. For the past
several years Marcia Facey has been the
Administrative Co-ordinator, including
overseeing the development of the website
and supporting the seminar series. Dana
Howse
(ccqhr@utoronto.ca) is the current
Co-ordinator.
Membership
CCQHR has four types of members:
Collaborating sponsor members The Dalla Lana School of Public
Health and the Lawrence S. Bloomberg
Faculty of Nursing are the core
collaborating members that sponsor and
house CCQHR.
Contributing institutional members
These are University of Toronto
faculties/divisions who make a financial
or in-kind contribution to CCQHR
(teaching of EQR courses or other forms
of support) to ensure priority for their
students in the educational activities
of the Centre and to support the
research resources the Centre provides.
Academic Fellows Academic Fellows are those who
currently make, or have made in the
past, sustained and significant
contributions to the mission of the
Centre. Members are invited to be
Fellows by the Directors of the Centre
in consultation with the Steering
Committee.
Individual members
Individual members are those on the
Listserv, including faculty, students,
alumni, independent researchers, and
those interested in qualitative
research, at the University of Toronto,
its affiliated teaching and research
units and beyond.
Activities
The Centre for Critical Qualitative
Health Research encompasses a number of
activities and initiatives related to the
methodological advancement of critical
qualitative research, particularly in the
health sciences. Each of the following is
described in more detail in the appropriate
sections of the website, and can be accessed
through the homepage links above.
Website that provides access to its
various activities, resources and links
Inventory of qualitative research
methodology courses offered at U of T
(see Methods Courses)
Inventory of U of T and associated
research institutes’ faculty who are
engaged in or teach qualitative research
(see Faculty Resources)
Essentials of Qualitative Research
(EQR) course series, a coordinated,
sequential and comprehensive set of
courses designed primarily for
doctoral-level research education (see
Essentials of Qualitative Research
Course Series)
Seminar series offered periodically
to address general issues of qualitative
research practice and methodology
(listings of past seminars available and
seminar podcasts after May 2009) (see
Seminars)
Teaching Qualitative Research
activities, including the Educate the
Educators program
(national/international visiting
professorship program) and the national
teaching workshop hosted at the
University of Toronto (see Teaching
Fellowship)
Postdoctoral Fellowship
opportunities exist for work in
qualitative research and teaching with
faculty or research groups within the
Centre’s community (see Postdoctoral
Training)
An internet-based ListServ of those
interested in qualitative research that
is managed by the Co-ordinator and used
to circulate information of common,
general interest to this research
community (see ListServ)
Links to selected qualitative
research websites, resources,
publications and organizations (see
External Links)
Links to upcoming conferences and
workshops (see Conferences and
Workshops)
Limited ad hoc listings of research
job opportunities (see Job Postings)
