Making the Most of Configurational Comparative Analysis: An Assessment of QCA Applications in Comparative Welfare State Research
Journal
Political Research Quarterly
ISSN
1065-9129
ISSN-Digital
1938-274X
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2013-03-01
Author(s)
Abstract
QCA's ability of addressing complex theoretical expectations and taking account of configurational relationships is rarely fully exploited. Assessing comparative welfare-state research, which has employed QCA, we find that only about half of the studies reviewed have expressed complex theoretical propositions in set-theoretical terms, revisited cases subsequent to the formal analysis, or subjected findings to robustness checks. We discuss the relevance of each of these three aspects and argue that carefully considering these will improve the quality of QCA applications.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SEPS - Global Democratic Governance
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Sage Publishing
Publisher place
London UK
Volume
66
Number
1
Start page
185
End page
190
Pages
6
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
227003