Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) as an Approach

Abstract

After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • Locate QCA as an approach and grasp its key epistemological foundations • Understand how and why QCA is “case oriented” and how one should use QCA to engage in a dialogue between cases and theories • Understand the specific conception of causality conveyed in QCA— multiple conjunctural causation—and its practical consequences • Reflect on the usefulness of QCA to reach a certain level of generalization beyond the observed cases • Grasp key common features of QCA techniques in terms of formalization, replication, transparency, and different types of uses • Become accustomed to some key technical terms and use the appropriate,QCA-specific terminology