Set-Theoretic Methods for the Social Sciences: A Guide to Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Strategies for Social Inquiry

by Carsten Q. Schneider, Claudius Wagemann

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and other set-theoretic methods distinguish themselves from other approaches to the study of social phenomena by using sets and the search for set relations. In virtually all social science fields, statements about social phenomena can be framed in terms of set relations, and using set-theoretic methods to investigate these statements is therefore highly valuable. This book guides readers through the basic principles of set theory and then on to the applied practices of QCA. It provides a thorough understanding of basic and advanced issues in set-theoretic methods together with tricks of the trade, software handling and exercises. Most arguments are introduced using examples from existing research. The use of QCA is increasing rapidly and the application of set-theory is both fruitful and still widely misunderstood in current empirical comparative social research. This book provides the comprehensive guide to these methods for researchers across the social sciences.

370 pages, Hardcover

First published August 30, 2012

About the author

Carsten Q. Schneider is Professor at the Political Science Department. Prior to joining CEU in 2004, he obtained his PhD from the European University Institute in Florence. His research focuses on regime transitions, the consolidation and quality of democracies. He is also working in the field of comparative methodology, especially on set-theoretic methods, in particular Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and its fuzzy set extension. His book "Set-Theoretic Methods for the Social Sciences", co-authored with Claudius Wagemann, appeared with Cambridge University Press in 2012.
From 2009 - 2014, Schneider was an elected member of the Young Academy of Science in Germany (http://www.diejungeakademie.de/) and he spent the Academic Year 2009-2010 as a John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellow at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard University (http://www.ces.fas.harvard.edu/). As its Founding Director, Schneider led the Center for the Study of Imperfections in Democracies (DISC) at CEU from 2008 to 2014.

QUALIFICATION
PhD in Political and Social Science, European University Institute
Diploma in Political Science, Free University, Berlin

Reviews

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

great overview of crisp-set and fuzzy-set QCA, particularly in discussion of what to do with logical remainders. major caveat relative to competing texts is insufficient focus on any software packages; would supplement with additional materials.