The APSA Interpretive Methodologies and Methods related group provides a forum for the discussion of methodologies and methods related to empirical interpretive research, as well as issues arising from their location within contemporary political science.

Master Events Calendar
Fred Schaffer (and others) do Interpretivist Interviewing
Feb 21
Fred Schaffer (and others) do Interpretivist Interviewing

Interpretivists do Interpretive Methods Series

Fred Schaffer (UMass Amherst) will speak about interpretive interviewing drawing both from his own research on ordinary language interviewing and from other interpretive scholars’ use of interviewing as a research tool.


This talk will take place from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM (Eastern Time), via Zoom.

The talk is open to the public, but registration is required. To register, please click here.

Spotlight Scholars Research Presentations
Mar 21
Spotlight Scholars Research Presentations

Please join us on Friday, March 21st at noon (Eastern Time) for the research presentations of our 2024-2024 Spotlight Scholars.

Ronay Bakan (John Hopkins), Lauren Baker (Northwestern), and Be Stone (Rhodes College) will provide short presentations of their ongoing research. We will then open it up for a Q&A with the audience. The work of all three of our Spotlight Scholars exemplifies the virtues of interpretive research. We hope you can join us.

The session is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register, please click here.

News & Upcoming Events

Spotlight Scholars Program

The Spotlight Scholars program highlights outstanding early-career scholars whose work showcases or advances interpretive approaches to the study of politics. Our 2024-2025 Spotlight Scholars are Ronay Bakan, Lauren Baker, and Be Stone. Read more about their work by clicking here.

Call for Nominations

The Interpretive Methods & Methodologies group is now accepting nominations for our annual slate of awards, to be presented at the 2025 APSA Annual Meeting. Please view our awards page for details on how to nominate yourself or your colleagues.

Recent Awards

New Books Podcast