Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Abstract This chapter introduces qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) as a set-theoretic comparative method aimed at identifying necessary and sufficient relations, with a focus on modeling causal complexity and an orientation toward explaining outcomes. While a relatively young method, QCA has established itself as a main methodological tool in the social sciences and beyond. On par with its spread across disciplines in terms of application, the methodology behind QCA has also continued to develop and become more robust and sophisticated. This chapter provides an overview of the basic building blocks of what a QCA is and when to use it, and how a QCA works in practice; it also points the reader to the state-of-the-art developments for building a solid QCA that goes beyond its basic analytic steps.