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The origins, development, and application of Qualitative Comparative Analysis: the first 25 years

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2013

Axel Marx ,
Benoît Rihoux  and
Charles Ragin
Axel Marx*
Affiliation:
Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies, University of Leuven, Belgium
Benoît Rihoux
Affiliation:
Centre de Science Politique et de Politique Comparée, Institut de Sciences Politiques Louvain-Europe, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
Charles Ragin
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of California, Irvine, USA and Department of Political Science, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
*
*E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

A quarter century ago, in 1987, Charles C. Ragin published The Comparative Method, introducing a new method to the social sciences called Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). QCA is a comparative case-oriented research approach and collection of techniques based on set theory and Boolean algebra, which aims to combine some of the strengths of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Since its launch in 1987, QCA has been applied extensively in the social sciences. This review essay first sketches the origins of the ideas behind QCA. Next, the main features of the method, as presented in The Comparative Method, are introduced. A third part focuses on the early applications. A fourth part presents early criticisms and subsequent innovations. A fifth part then focuses on an era of further expansion in political science and presents some of the main applications in the discipline. In doing so, this paper seeks to provide insights and references into the origin and development of QCA, a non-technical introduction to its main features, the path travelled so far, and the diversification of applications.

Keywords

Qualitative Comparative Analysiscomparative methodologycase study
Type
Research Article
Information
European Political Science Review , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , February 2014 , pp. 115 - 142
Copyright
Copyright © European Consortium for Political Research 2013 

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