The program for the 29th Summer School in Social Science Methods at the Università della Svizzera italiana in Lugano, Switzerland has been announced: I’m offering Exploring Causal Complexity with Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) during the week of August 11-15, 2025. For impressions from previous years, see here. Registration for this course will open in January 2025. For administrative questions, please contact the Summer School team (see link above). If you have any questions about the course, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
From the course description: Social phenomena rarely have straightforward, single-cause explanations. Instead, outcomes often emerge through intricate combinations of factors, where multiple pathways lead to similar results, and different explanations may be required for success and failure. This interplay of conjunctural causation, equifinality, and causal asymmetry represents the essence of causal complexity – a concept at the heart of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). Rooted in set theory and the logic of necessary and sufficient conditions, QCA offers a structured approach to understanding these complexities.
This workshop provides participants with a comprehensive introduction to QCA, emphasizing research design and empirical application. Participants will follow an ideal-typical research process, starting with empirical illustrations of how and why QCA is used in the social sciences. These foundational sessions explore key principles, such as set theory, Boolean algebra, and the calibration of crisp and fuzzy sets, while guiding participants through the protocol for identifying patterns of causal complexity using truth tables and Boolean minimization.
The course progresses step by step, from study design to the interpretation of results, incorporating hands-on exercises with real-world examples. Advanced topics – including multi-method research, robustness tests, and recent developments in QCA – are tailored to participants’ needs and research interests. Opportunities to present individual projects and explore potential applications further enhance the workshop.
Designed to be inclusive, the workshop welcomes participants at all levels – from PhD students to senior researchers – and strikes a balance between theory, practical exercises, and individualized support. A strong emphasis on collaboration and dialogue ensures ample time for consultation, group discussions, and networking. By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to apply QCA effectively, providing a robust framework for addressing causal complexity in comparative social science research.
