COMParative methods for the Advancement of Systematic cross-case analysis and Small-n Studies

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Didactics: Boolean algebra and QCA logic

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Trainings ----- Archive section

31st August 2005, Washington, USA
Short course on fuzzy sets methods, APSA annual meeting

Lecturer: Prof. Charles RAGIN
Time: from 2:00 to 6:00pm

Sign up at: http://www.apsanet.org/imgtest/ShortCourses.pdf

15th August 2005, Philadelphia, USA
Scientific Foundations of Qualitative Research
American Sociological Association's 100th Annual Meeting, 4:30pm-6:10pm
Professional workshop presided by Prof. Charles C. RAGIN

15th August 2005, Philadelphia, USA
Fuzzy Sets and Case-Oriented Research
American Sociological Association's 100th Annual Meeting, 10:30am-12:10pm
Methodological seminar lead by Prof. Charles C. RAGIN

25 July - 5 August 2005 in Essex, UK
38th Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Collection & Analysis, University of Essex
Course: "Systematic Qualitative Comparative Methods - Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and Multi-Value QCA"

Instructors : Profs. Benoît Rihoux (Universite catholique de Louvain, Belgium) & Dirk Berg-Schlosser (Philipps-Universitat Marburg, Germany)

June 13th 2005 in SOUTH KOREA
Methodological seminar by Charles RAGIN
On Qualitative Comparative Analysis
At Seoul National University of Technology

Contact person
Seung Kim: kimsh@snut.ac.kr

June 8-10 2005 in TAIWAN
Methodological seminar by Charles RAGIN
On Qualitative Comparative Analysis
At the Academia Sinica
Information on the workshop at http://www.socwkp.sinica.edu.tw/info_course.htm

Contact person
Pei-Chia Lan: pclan@ntu.edu.tw

16-17 August 2004 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Introductory workshop on QCA in the frame of the RC33 Sixth International Conference on Social Science Methodology "Recent Developments and Applications in Social Research Methodology"

Lecturers:
Dr Alain Gottcheiner (Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium)
Sakura Yamasaki (Universite catholique de Louvain, Belgium)

Within the framework of the RC33 Conference, a short introductory workshop on QCA (2 + 2 hours) will be given.

1st September 2004, Chicago
Short course #7: Concepts, Causation, and Context: Integrating Methodologies
Wednesday, 9am to 1 pm

Sponsors: Qualitative Methods & International History and Politics Sections

Participants:
David Collier, University of California Berkeley;
Henry E. Brady, University of California Berkeley

This course introduces new perspectives on conceptualization and measurement, explanation and causation, and the challenge of making broad comparisons while addressing the need for sensitivity to context. Extending arguments developed in Rethinking Social Inquiry. Diverse Tools Shared Standards (Brady and Collier, eds., 2004), the course seeks new ways to integrate qualitative and quantitative methods. A guiding premise is that the qualitative and quantitative approaches complement and inform one another.

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Join us on September 1, 2004 for APSA professional day! Short Courses are full- or half-day sessions sponsored by APSA Organized Sections and related organizations that provide diverse opportunities for professional development.
Link to Short Courses webpage: http://www.apsanet.org/mtgs/shortcourselist04.cfm
Download programme of Short Courses (PDF format)

APSA uses the day before the Annual Meeting as a professional development day for all interested political scientists and graduate students. Part of the professional opportunities offered on Wednesday are Short Courses.
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26-30 July 2004 in Oslo, Norway
Oslo Summer School in Comparative Social Science Studies
Course: "Comparative Methodology : The Logic of Case Oriented Research"

Instructor : Prof. Charles C. Ragin (University of Arizona, USA)

For more info, please visit http://www.sv.uio.no/oss/
Full information on the course : see http://www.sv.uio.no/oss/Ragin.html

Brief Statement of Objectives:
This course constitutes an advanced introduction to comparative methodology, especially as it is - or should be - practiced in sociology and political science. In this course I contrast the logic of comparative analysis with other analytic logics, with a special focus on the differences between comparative analysis and other forms of qualitative and quantitative analysis. A central concern is the comparative analytic techniques appropriate for different types of comparative investigations. The logic of comparative research is powerfully influenced by the number of cases, usually countries or some other macrosocial unit, included in a study. This course will explore a wide range of comparative designs, from comparatively oriented case studies to research on large numbers of cases.

NB : application procedure : " (…) We do not operate with any deadline for applying these courses, however, those applying before 1st. of May 2004 will have the priority for admission (…)"

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26 July - 6 August 2004 in Essex, UK
Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis and Collection
Course: "Systematic Qualitative Comparative Methods - Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and Multi-Value QCA"

Instructors : Profs. Benoît Rihoux (Universite catholique de Louvain, Belgium) & Dirk Berg-Schlosser (Philipps-Universitat Marburg, Germany)

Full information on the course is available, via the course index at http://www.essex.ac.uk/methods/Courses%202004/2I04.htm

Course Content:
In a 'small N' research design, when a researcher has relatively few cases, both qualitative (case-oriented) and quantitative (variable-oriented) methods display clear limitations. The course provides an introduction to two newly developed methods that are being applied to a growing number of social science disciplines and research fields: Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and Multi-Value QCA (MVQCA).
These methods, based on Boolean logic, allow one to reduce the complexity of data sets and to produce parsimonious 'explanations' in small-N research designs. The commonalities and differences between these two methods and another newly developed method ('Fuzzy sets') will also be examined.
The course not only aims to enable students to use QCA and MVQCA, but also to reflect on the practical and reflective steps to be taken before (eg. comparative design, case and variable selection) and after (interpretation of the results) the software-based QCA or MVQCA analysis.

Go to Summer School Home Page

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29 and 30 April 2004 in Florence, Italy At the EUI, SPS Department
Short introductory workshop on technical aspects of QCA
Claudius Wagemann, Carsten Schneider & Stefano Bartolini.
NB : The workshop is open for EUI members only, plus for the students of the Universities of Florence and Siena.

See : http://www.iue.it/SPS/Research/Seminars20032004/SeminarsPDFfiles/SBS04Workshop.pdf

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22 April 2004, 14h00-16h00
NB: in French language
UCL, Louvain-la-Neuve
Présentation d'une analyse QCA approfondie
Dans le cadre d'un Séminaire méthodologique de DEA (science politique)
Une séance spécifique par le Prof. B. Rihoux (COMPASSS), avec la présentation détaillée de l'analyse AQQC-QCA menée dans le cadre de sa recherche doctorale (changement organisationnel dans les partis écologistes), et également de la démarche de recherche en amont et en aval de l'analyse QCA stricto sensu (" design " comparatif, études de cas, opérationalisation, analyses QCA exploratoires, analyses QCA finales, interprétation).
NB : outre les étudiants régulièrement inscrits au séminaire, quelques places - en nombre limité- seront disponibles (" premiers inscrits, premiers retenus ").

Local : salle de séminaire Lecl-281, bâtiment Leclercq

Contact : yamasaki@spri.ucl.ac.be

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18 March & 1 April 2004
At the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) in Vienna, Austria
Two presentations of QCA as an applied method
Claudius Wagemann & Carsten Schneider.
March 18, 16:00 - 17:30 (method) and April 1, 16:00 - 17:30 (application).
NB : internal IHS event.

See : http://www.ihs.ac.at/

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18 mars et 25 mars 2004, 14h00-16h00
NB: in French language
UCL, Louvain-la-Neuve
Dans le cadre d'un Séminaire méthodologique de DEA (science politique) :
- une séance d'introduction générale à QCA (18/3)
- (en salle informatique) une séance de démonstration/introduction aux logiciels permettant de réaliser une AQQC-QCA : QCA, fs/QCA et TOSMANA (25/3)
NB : outre les étudiants régulièrement inscrits au séminaire, quelques places - en nombre limité- seront disponibles (" premiers inscrits, premiers retenus ").

Contact : yamasaki@spri.ucl.ac.be

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4 mars 2004, 12h45-14h00, UCL, Louvain-la-Neuve
NB: in French
Midis de la Recherche (org. : Département SPED)
Titre : "L'Analyse Quali-Quantitative Comparée (AQQC) : état des lieux et potentiel"
Contenu : Depuis une quinzaine d'années, dans la foulée de l'ouvrage séminal de Charles C. Ragin ("The Comparative Method", 1987), un nombre croissant de chercheurs issus de différentes disciplines de sciences humaines développent ou appliquent toute une série de nouvelles méthodes permettant de comparer des cas de manière systématique.
Dans ce domaine de la "Systematic Comparative Case Analysis", une méthode particulière est de plus en plus utilisée : la Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), que nous traduisons volontairement de manière non-littérale par "Analyse Quali-Quantitative Comparée (AQQC).
Cette séance aura pour objectif(s) :
- de mettre l'AQQC en contexte, parmi d'autres méthodes plus "classiques" ou plus récentes ;
- de brosser un rapide tableau des caractéristiques-clé de l'AQQC et des applications à ce jour, avec un accent particulier sur des applications touchant à la thématique du développement, au sens large;
- de discuter du potentiel de cette méthode tout particulièrement dans le domaine des études de développement.

Intervenant : Prof. Benoît Rihoux
Contact/org : davaux@demo.ucl.ac.be

15-19 December 2003 in Brussels, Belgium
Ninth Annual Lecture in Social Statistics: QCA (Qualitative Comparative Analysis)

Instruction language: English
Instructors : Profs. Benoît Rihoux & Gisèle De Meur.
Programme Directors: Prof. dr. Marc Swyngedouw & Prof. dr. Jaques Tacq

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a new analytic technique that uses Boolean algebra to implement principles of comparison used by scholars engaged in the qualitative study of macrosocial phenomena. Typically, qualitatively oriented scholars examine only a few cases at a time, but their analyses are both intensive: addressing many aspects of cases; and integrative: examining how the different parts of a case fit together, both contextually and historically. By formalizing the logic of qualitative analysis, QCA makes it possible to bring the logic and empirical intensity of qualitative approaches to studies that embrace more than a handful of cases-research situations that normally call for the use of variable-oriented, quantitative methods.

Course objectives
The course provides background information and a practical introduction to the QCA method that is being applied to a growing number of social science disciplines and research fields. The course aims both to reflect on the comparative method and comparative research design, and to introduce three methods, which allow to reduce the complexity of data sets and to produce parsimonious "explanations" in small-N research designs. At the end of the course, participants should be able to engage in well-thought comparative research in a small-N setting and to choose and use a technique (QCA or TOSMANA), which suits their data and research goals best.

Admission
The course is intended for researchers with an interest in applied qualitative research and it is open for students with a degree in Sociology, Political Sciences, Communication Sciences, Psychology, Education, Economics, Geography, and Anthropology or in another relevant field. No particular statistical knowledge is required. A basic knowledge of research methods and comparative methods is useful. The course is not designed for theoretical statisticians but for qualitative oriented (social) researchers who would like to apply QCA in their research.

Fee
€175 for the whole course. Free for members of the institution/s organizing the course.
Download Programme and Registration form

Hosted by the KULeuven and KUBrussel
[Contact : Anne Van Eeckhoudt]

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14-19 October 2003 in Kaunas, Lithuania
Teaching seminar on "The logic of QCA and its application for the Social Sciences" (NEW! Click here to see the pictures)
Instructors : Profs. Benoît Rihoux & Gisèle De Meur; Sakura Yamasaki.
Organized by the Institute for Social Research, Vilnius (Lithuania), and the Department of Comparative Politics, Bergen (Norway), together with some other partners.
The seminar is primarily offered to ~15 Ph.D. students and young researchers
· from the Baltic and Scandinavian countries;
· working in the disciplines of political sciences, public administration, and sociology; and
· who will be recruited through the partner institutions of this project.

Download more info here (PDF format).

(contact : Irmina.Matonyte@ktu.lt, Co-ordinator for the seminar)

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28. July - 1. August 2003 and 4. - 8. August 2003
Oslo Summer School in Comparative Social Science Studies 2003

Oslo Summer School is several postgraduate research courses within various fields of comparative social sciences.
PhD students and researchers from all over Europe is welcome to apply for admission.
All courses are lectured in English language.
.

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4-11 September 2003: Lille (France) Summer School 2003:
"L'analyse Quali-Quantitative Comparée (AQQC-QCA)"

Click here to download information and application form. Cliquez ici pour télécharger le programme et l'inscription.

All courses are held in French language.

During this intensive 6-day course, QCA will be presented as an approach, then as a specific technique (including QCA and fs/QCA software use etc.). Several applications will be examined, as well as a review of the critiques. Participants will also have the opportunity to work on their own data (if they have any). Programme co-ordinators: Gisèle De Meur (Université Libre de Bruxelles) and Benoît Rihoux (Université catholique de Louvain).

Responsables du module :
- Gisèle De Meur (ULB, Laboratoire de recherche en Mathématiques et Sciences humaines (MATsch)
- Benoît Rihoux (UCL, Centre de Politique Comparée (CPC) / Unité de science politique et de relations internationales
Autres intervenants :
- Caty Clément : UCL et COMPASSS, Belgique
- Corentin Curchod : Ecole Polytechnique, Paris
- Patrick Dumont: UCL et COMPASSS, Belgique (PAPER AVAILABLE in the WP section)
- Alain Gottcheiner : ULB et COMPASSS, Belgique
- Yannick Vanderborght : UCL, Belgique
- Frédéric Varone : UCL et COMPASSS, Belgique
- Sakura Yamasaki : UCL et COMPASSS, Belgique

For further information, please e-mail Annie LAURENT (co-ordinator of the Lille Summer School).

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Lille Summer School 2002: a short report

The first QCA course held in French language was very positively received since the programme was fully booked (20 participants). Hence also the decision to re-conduct this programme next year.

Detailed programme (NB: all sessions were given in French):
Module 1: Methodology of comparison and "small n"
Module 2: The no man's land of "small n"
Module 3: QCA as an approach
Module 4: QCA as a technique
Module 5: Introduction to the softwares
Module 6: QCA applications (1) (external speakers)
Module 7: QCA application (2) (external speakers)
Module 8: QCA applications litterature review
Module 9: Computer room session (1)
Module 10: Computer room session (2)
Module 11: Computer room session (3)
Module 12: Computer room session (4)
Module 13: Final evaluation session

You can find more information on the 2002 Lille Summer School on the following websites: the homepage of Université de Lille 2, the ECPR webpage for this summer school.

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Last modified: 31-Oct-2006

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Benoît RIHOUX, Centre de Politique Comparée