Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Social phenomena can rarely be attributed to single causes. Drawing on set theory and the language of necessary and sufficient conditions, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a case-based research method that is ideally suited to capture causal complexity. QCA regards cases as combinations of conditions. It compares the conditions of each case in a structured way to identify the necessary and sufficient conditions for an outcome. While QCA has become increasingly popular and seen a substantial increase of applications across the social sciences and management, introductory textbooks have not kept pace with this development. In this textbook, Patrick A. Mello teaches students, scholars, and self-learners the fundamentals of QCA, research design, interpretation of results, and how to communicate findings. This concise and accessible textbook provides a hands-on introduction to QCA that will be ideal for use within a broader qualitative methods course and in intensive short courses--