Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)

About

This course is offered as part of the Radboud Summer School in Social Research Methods, in collaboration with MethodsNET (a global network that offers excellent training in social research methods).

This course introduces students to the nuts and bolts of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), a set-theoretic technique that allows for comparisons of cases to identify necessary and/or sufficient conditions for an outcome.

Course leader

Eva Thomann Professor of Public Administration Department of Politics and Public Administration University of Konstanz

Target group

-Master
-PhD
-Post-doc
-Professional

This PhD level course is open to all researchers aiming at bringing their research to the next level. It is particularly designed for those who are looking for a method that allows them to compare cases while modelling aspects of causal complexity, on the one hand, and integrate case knowledge, on the other hand.

Course aim

After this course you are able to:

-Design your research using Qualitative Comparative Analysis
-Understand the logic and technical underpinnings of Qualitative Comparative Analysis
-Independently perform a standard crisp-set or fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis using the R software environment
-Address potential pitfalls of Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Fee info