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Westminster political science professor presents at Q conference in Belfast

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Posted on Friday, September 29, 2023

Dr. James C. Rhoads, professor of political science and current department chair at Westminster College, recently presented at the 39th annual Q conference at Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The International Society for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity sponsors the annual conference that brings scholars who use Q methodology together to present research. Q methodology, innovated by Dr. William Stephenson in 1935, provides the scientific means to study subjective phenomena, and is used across the human sciences.

Rhoads co-conducted the “Introduction to Q Methodology Workshop” with Dr. Sue Ramlo, University of Akron. The workshop was attended by Ph.D. students from the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Czech Republic and many other international locations.

Rhoads also presented “Q Methodology and the Single Case: The Case of Brian,” which continued Rhoads’ work in understanding the dynamic processes involved in the construction of political views. Rhoads was the recipient of Westminster’s 2022-2023 McCandless Award, which is given to support faculty scholarship and was used in facilitating his research.

Rhoads served as a member of the Panel of Experts which discussed publishing Q methodological studies. Rhoads has been a member of the International Society for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity since 1990 and has been president of the organization twice in the past.