European QCA Conference: Paper Development Workshop
2024-12-10 - 2024-12-11 | Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
The Paper Development Workshop at the European QCA Conference 2024 provides a unique platform for QCA researchers to get feedback on their QCA papers and to meet QCA experts.
The organizers invite submission from researchers using QCA for the first time or who are at a mid or advanced stage of applying QCA. It is open to researchers working in various domains, including (but not limited to) social sciences, economics, humanities, psychology, law, policy studies, business studies, medicine and health.
The Workshop will take place on Tuesday December 10 and Wednesday December 11 at Tilburg University, The Netherlands.
For additional information, please see the Call for Papers: PDW call for abstracts

European QCA Conference (Expert Workshop)
2024-12-11 - 2024-12-12 | Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
The Expert Workshop at the European QCA Conference in 2024 will take place on Wednesday December 11 and Thursday December 12 at Tilburg University, The Netherlands.
The Expert Workshop is a unique platform to discuss the latest developments in QCA and related methods. In this call for abstracts, we invite submissions from experienced QCA researchers on methodological issues related to QCA. Methodological issues may be illustrated with QCA applications, however, the main focus must be on the methodological development of QCA or a related method.
For additional information, please see the Call for Papers: EW call for abstracts

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops (KOMEX): Basic Introduction to R for Beginners (online)
2025-02-13 - 2025-02-14 | Online
In early February 2024, komex offers the course Microcredential ekomex A Basic Introduction to R for Beginners.
This 2-day virtual course introduces the open-source statistical software R for beginners. It is designed for students without prior experience of R/RStudio. It teaches the basics of R and RStudio, namely, how to perform basic descriptive statistics and create visualizations in R (e.g., histograms, scatterplots, etc.). The course will also cover basic data management with R.
This course could be a good starting point for QCA ethusiasts, wishing to start using R for their analyses.
komex combines cutting-edge, inclusive, and affordable methodological training in both qualitative and quantitative research design and techniques, together with feedback and discussion of the methodological aspects of your own research project and those of other participants. Participation in a workshop will provide you with guidance for how to design your research and/or how to use a method in practice in relation to your research question.
The courses are aimed at Ph.D. scholars and junior researchers. Class sizes are kept small in the workshops.
In collaboration with MethodsNET, komex draws on local expertise to provide world-class PhD-level methods training at affordable prices.

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops (KOMEX): Advanced QCA (with R) course (online)
2025-02-17 - 2025-02-21 | Online
In February 2024, Komex offers the course Microcredential ekomex Advanced Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). This 5-day online course exposes participants to advanced methodological developments in Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) that allow for further solidifying their results, and enables them to apply state-of-the-art set-theoretic analytic tools in R.
komex combines cutting-edge, inclusive, and affordable methodological training in both qualitative and quantitative research design and techniques, together with feedback and discussion of the methodological aspects of your own research project and those of other participants. Participation in a workshop will provide you with guidance for how to design your research and/or how to use a method in practice in relation to your research question.
The courses are aimed at Ph.D. scholars and junior researchers. Class sizes are kept small in the workshops.
In collaboration with MethodsNET, komex draws on local expertise to provide world-class PhD-level methods training at affordable prices.

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops (KOMEX): Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) using R (On-Site course)
2025-02-17 - 2025-02-21 | University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstrasse 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany
This five-day in-person course introduces you to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), an innovative set-theoretic technique that allows for comparisons of small, intermediate or large numbers of cases in order to identify necessary and / or sufficient conditions for an outcome, model causal complexity, and integrate in-depth case knowledge at all stages of the analysis. The intensive course has a practical focus and combines theoretical blocks with hands-on exercises. We will use real-world data to replicate a published study with the freely available R software, and discuss examples from the participants’ own research projects in class.
Intructor: Eva Thomann, University of Konstanz, Germany

Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (online)
2025-03-24 - 2025-03-28 | Online
This course, hosted by “The European Consortium For Political Research”, will provide you with an interactive online learning environment using advanced pedagogical tools, and is specifically designed for masters level students and above. The course is limited to a maximum of 16 participants, ensuring that the teaching team can address the unique needs of each individual.
Purpose of the course
Upon completion of this course, you will have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of qualitative comparative analysis and how to apply it to a research project within your area of study. This knowledge and practical experience will equip you with valuable skills for conducting in-depth research and analysis in your field.
ECTS Credits
3 ECTS credits awarded for engaging fully in class activities.
1 additional ECTS credit awarded for completing a post-course assignment.

4th Annual QCA Conference of the Americas
2025-04-02 - 2025-04-04 | Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, United States
The QCA Conference of the Americas (AQCA) provides a venue for the broad, cross-disciplinary community of researchers and practitioners working with configurational-comparative methods and approaches to gather together to present and receive feedback on current research projects, share theoretical and methodological developments, and discuss new directions in configurational-comparative research practices. Bringing together the diverse set of QCA empirical and methodological researchers, AQCA offers a supportive environment for the community to meet, engage in dialogue, network, learn, and collectively move forward on advancing the configurational-comparative perspective.

Introduction to Causal Data Analysis & Modeling with Coincidence Analysis
2025-05-19 - 2025-05-22 | The National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA), Copenhagen, Denmark
This workshop offers an intensive 4-day introduction to causal modeling with Coincidence Analysis (CNA), a novel configurational comparative method of data analysis geared towards causal complexity, which has seen a considerable uptick in applications in recent years (click here for references). No prior knowledge of CNA is required.
For further details, please see link below.

4th International Conference on Current Issues in Coincidence Analysis
2025-05-23 - 2025-05-24 | The National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA), Copenhagen, Denmark
We are pleased to announce the 4th International Conference on “Current Issues on Coincidence Analysis,” scheduled to take place on May 23-24, 2025, at NFA in Copenhagen. This conference serves as a premier platform for the exchange of ideas and collaboration between Coincidence Analysis (CNA) methodologists and applied researchers.
Conference Scope: The conference will feature discussions on the latest methodological developments in CNA, addressing open questions and challenges in the field. Moreover, researchers will have the opportunity to showcase exemplary applications of CNA from any discipline as well as theoretical or conceptual developments.
Highlights:

Invited talks by leading CNA experts
Contributed paper presentations
Networking opportunities in beautiful Copenhagen

Call for Contributions: We invite researchers and practitioners to submit extended abstracts of up to 1000 words in either DOC or PDF format. The submitted abstracts should highlight practical applications with novel findings facilitated by CNA, methodological or theoretical innovations, or issues for plenary discussions.

Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (GSERM)
2025-06-09 - 2025-06-13 | GSERM, University of St. Gallen, Tellstrasse 2 9000 St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is a research approach consisting of both an analytical technique and a conceptual perspective for researchers interested in studying configurational phenomena. QCA is particularly appropriate for the analysis of causally complex phenomena marked by multiple, conjunctural causation where multiple causes combine to bring about outcomes in complex ways.
QCA was developed in the 1980s by Charles Ragin, a sociologist and political scientist, as an alternative comparative approach that lies midway between the primarily qualitative, case-oriented approach and the primarily quantitative, variable-oriented approach, with the goal of bridging both by combining their advantages and tackling situations where causality is complex and conjunctural. QCA uses Boolean algebra for the analysis of set relations and allows researchers to formally analyze patterns of necessity and sufficiency regarding outcomes of interest. Since its inception, QCA has developed into a broad set of techniques that share their set-analytic nature and include both descriptive and inferential techniques.
Many researchers have drawn on QCA because it offers a means to systematically analyze data sets with relatively few observations. In fact, QCA was originally developed for small- to medium-N situations with between 10 and 50 cases. In such situations there are frequently too many cases to pursue a classical qualitative approach but too few cases for conventional statistical analysis. However, more recently, researchers have also applied QCA to medium- and large-N situations marked by hundreds of thousands of cases. While these applications require some changes to how QCA is applied, they retain many advantages for analyzing situations that are configurational in nature and marked by causal complexity.
The goal of this workshop is to provide a ground-up introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and fuzzy sets. Participants will get intensive instruction in the method as well as hands-on experience with the fsQCA software package. On completion of the course, participants should be prepared to design and execute research projects using the set-analytic approach.
Specifically, after successful completion of you should be able to:

understand the goals, assumptions, and key concepts of QCA
conduct data analysis using the fsQCA software package
design and execute research projects using a set-analytic approach
apply advanced forms of set-analytic investigation

I would like this workshop to be as useful to you as possible. To get the most out of this workshop, you would ideally already be working on an empirical project that might be aided by taking a configurational approach, but that is not essential. Over the course of this workshop, I hope you will be thinking about how you can apply these methods to your research, and I will do my best to be of assistance.

MethodsNET Summer School with CEU: Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)
2025-07-07 - 2025-07-11 | Central European University, Vienna, Austria
As part of a rich case-based and comparative methods course program at its Summer School hosted by the Central European University in beautiful Vienna, MethodsNET offers the course Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), taught by Nena Oana. This 5-day intensive in person course introduces Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an approach and a technique, its main assumptions, its standard procedures and operations, and the technical environment (R software and packages) used for its application. QCA enables researchers to model causal complexity by analyzing whether different configurations of conditions are necessary or sufficient for an outcome, based on a formalized comparison of intermediate to large numbers of cases. Throughout the course, emphasis is put on a thorough understanding of the formal logic of set-theoretic methods and QCA, including topics such as Boolean algebra, causal complexity, sets and their calibration, necessity, and sufficiency. The course also discusses the logic and analysis of truth tables and the most important problems that emerge when this analytical tool is used for exploring social science data. Right from the beginning, participants are exposed to performing set-theoretic analyses with the relevant R software packages using data from published applications in the social sciences. Full course details here.
The MethodsNET Summer School (30+ courses offered) stands for top-pedagogy hands-on methods training, while staying affordable. The weekly course fee also gives access to a free plenary program of cross-cutting short courses. Beyond the course, MethodsNET membership also provides access to the multimedia digital ‘MethodsNET Communities’, in particular the ‘Case-based and comparative approaches’ Community that enables users and experts to communicate and collaborate.

MethodsNET Summer School with CEU: Comparative Research Designs
2025-07-07 - 2025-07-11 | Central European University, Vienna, Austria
As part of a rich case-based and comparative methods course program at its Summer School hosted by the Central European University in beautiful Vienna, MethodsNET offers the course Comparative Research Designs, taught by Benoît Rihoux. This 5-day intensive in person course is designed to enable participants to build, consolidate and implement the comparative research design (CRD) that best meets their needs. Via interactive pedagogy, it enables each participant to: (1) rigorously and critically reflect on all steps of their comparative research project, and find pragmatic solutions to their CRD challenges; (2) clarify their research goals and their ‘casing’ (defining their cases); (3) choose the most appropriate case selection strategy, among multiple possible alternative strategies, from basic to more advanced; (4) choose the most appropriate strategy for data collection, management and analysis – considering case-based qualitative, systematic comparative (QCA) and statistical types of analysis (QCA is especially examined, including how it can be sequenced with other methods); and (5) write up the full ‘research design’ section of their comparative project. Full course details here.
The MethodsNET Summer School (30+ courses offered) stands for top-pedagogy hands-on methods training, while staying affordable. The weekly course fee also gives access to a free plenary program of cross-cutting short courses. Beyond the course, MethodsNET membership also provides access to the multimedia digital ‘MethodsNET Communities’, in particular the ‘Case-based and comparative approaches’ Community that enables users and experts to communicate and collaborate.

MethodsNET Summer School with CEU: Advanced Applied Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)
2025-07-14 - 2025-07-18 | Central European University, Vienna, Austria
As part of a rich case-based and comparative methods course program at its Summer School hosted by the Central European University in beautiful Vienna, MethodsNET offers the course Advanced Applied Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), taught by Carsten Schneider. This 5-day intensive in person course aims to enable participants to put in practice state-of-the-art QCA empirical research, including the exploitation of the most recent QCA innovations. Apart from learning how to apply QCA in the best possible way, discussions in class will address from a set-theoretic point of view general methodological issues, such as robustness tests, theory evaluation, case selection strategies, or the role of time and temporality in descriptive and causal inference. Full course details here.
The MethodsNET Summer School (30+ courses offered) stands for top-pedagogy hands-on methods training, while staying affordable. The weekly course fee also gives access to a free plenary program of cross-cutting short courses. Beyond the course, MethodsNET membership also provides access to the multimedia digital ‘MethodsNET Communities’, in particular the ‘Case-based and comparative approaches’ Community that enables users and experts to communicate and collaborate.

QCA Workshop at AOM (Info: Parts 1, 2 & 3)
2025-07-25 11:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Copenhagen) | Academy of Management, Boston, MA, United States
Meet us at AoM on Friday, July 25 (11:00AM-1:00PM CEST) at Bella Center in Hall C- C3-m1 in Copenhagen!

Dear colleagues,
We would like to draw your attention to the following PDW at the Academy of Management Meeting 2025, held in Copenhagen: Configurational Analysis in Management Research: Advances in QCA Methodology and Applications

Part 1-3
The PDW includes 3 Parts. If you have no or only a little knowledge of, and experience with, QCA you can join us during Part 1 to learn the basic “nuts and bolts” of QCA and configurational logic and understand if this might be the right tool for your research project. If you are also interested in current methodological issues and advances in QCA, join us during Part 2! For those who’d like to get feedback on one of your ongoing QCA research papers, join us for Part 3!

Registration?
If you’re joining us for Part 1 and Part 2, you do not need to register (PDW is open to all conference attendees). If you’d like to participate in Part 3, please submit an extended abstract of 1,500-2,000 words to Johannes.meuer@klu.org by 10 July 2025. In your abstract, please summarize your study’s topical area, theoretical background, research gap, and question, and include details about the data, analytical strategy (for empirical papers), and preliminary results. Please indicate your target journal and add a few questions you would like the reviewers to address. A panel of QCA experts will review all submissions and evaluate their fit with the PDW according to the clarity of purpose, methodological rigor, and innovative character of the research. We will inform you shortly, by 20 July 2024, about your opportunities to participate in Part 3.

Reading list
We offer a list of recommended pre-readings and QCA resources along with the PDW. If you’d like to receive the list of recommended pre-readings and resources get in touch with Johannes (johannes.meuer@klu.org).

Conveners & Facilitators:
Ruth Aguilera, Northeastern University, r.aguilera@northeastern.edu
Joanna T. Campbell, University of Cincinnati, joanna.campbell@uc.edu
Donal Crilly, London Business School, dcrilly@london.edu
Peer C. Fiss, University of Southern California, fiss@marshall.usc.edu
Santi Furnari, City University London, Santi.Furnari.1@city.ac.uk
Thomas Greckhamer, Louisiana State University, tgreck@lsu.edu
Rodney Lacey, Arizona State University, Rodney.Lacey@asu.edu
Johannes Meuer, KLU Hamburg, johannes.meuer@klu.org
Vilmos F. Misangyi, The Pennsylvania State University, vfm10@psu.edu

29th Summer School in Social Science Methods: Exploring Causal Complexity with Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) (in presence)
2025-08-11 - 2025-08-15 | Università della Svizzera Italiana, Via Buffi 13, Lugano, 6900, Switzerland
This five-day intensive 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.

Exploring Causal Complexity with Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)
2025-08-11 - 2025-08-15 | Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Lugano West Campus, Via Giuseppe Buffi 13, Lugano, CH-6900, Switzerland
– Full-week intensive workshop with R software application
– Summer School in Social Sciences Methods
– August 11–15, 2025
– Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Lugano, Switzerland
Course details & registration (reduced fee for students):
https://www.usi.ch/en/education/lifelong-learning/summer-winter-school/ssm/qualitative-comparative-analysis-research-design-and-application

Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis
2025-08-21 - 2025-08-28 | Online and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
This course offers an interactive hybrid learning environment (both online and on-site), designed specifically for master’s-level students and above. It utilizes advanced pedagogical tools to create an engaging and supportive learning experience. Enrollment is limited to a maximum of 16 participants, allowing the teaching team to provide personalized guidance and support.
By the end of the course, you will have a solid foundation in the fundamentals of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and the skills to apply it to a research project within your area of study. This combination of theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience will equip you with valuable competencies for conducting rigorous research and analysis in your field.
You will gain access to the learning platform at least two weeks prior to the course start date, enabling you to prepare through pre-readings and pre-recorded materials. Participants are expected to dedicate approximately 20 hours per week during this period, totaling around 40 hours of preparatory work. We will work in the fs/QCA software, and additional resources for conducting analyses in R will also be provided.

2nd MethodsNET Conference
2025-09-10 - 2025-09-12 | Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (remote participation also possible)
The 2nd MethodsNET Conference is taking place in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (remote participation also possible), 10-12 September – https://methodsnet.org/conference/2nd-methodsnet-conference/, which also comprises several QCA training options.

20+ short PhD-level training modules, across various formats. You can find the full list on the conference website, here is a short summary, including a QCA track:

Track A: Modeling methods: Quantitative, computational and SNA
Track B: Meaning-making and holistic methods: Qualitative, interpretive, case-based and QCA
Track C: Methodologies and pedagogies: Reflexivity, bias, arts/practice-based, data quality, pedagogy
Track D: Mixed methods

a 1-to-1 ‘Meet the Expert’ session with leading scholars, also QCA experts
Interactive and hands-on sessions designed especially with junior researchers in mind.

To register: (1) if you are not yet a MethodsNET member: join MethodsNET (https://methodsnet.org/become-a-member/ ) to benefit from a major registration fee discount; and then (2) register to the Conference (https://methodsnet.org/conference/2nd-methodsnet-conference/).

13th European QCA Conference 2025 in Kraków, Poland
2025-12-09 - 2025-12-11 | Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
QCA enthusiasts will soon gather at the 13th European QCA Conference 2025 (previously known as the International QCA Workshop) in Kraków, Poland.
Visit the website for details.

EQCA2025 comprises two events:
1. EQCA Paper Development Workshop
Event is organized for researchers working in various domains who seek constructive feedback on their QCA-based projects and papers. The event is open to researchers at any stage of their QCA journey (an early or more advanced).
Call for papers (deadline: 1st October 2025):
2. Expert Workshop
We invite experienced QCA researchers to submit abstracts that focus on methodological development of QCA or a related method.
Call for papers (deadline: 1st October 2025):

We look very much forward to welcoming you to captivating Kraków this winter!

Anna Sławik, Institute of Economics, Finance and Management, Jagiellonian University, anna.slawik@uj.edu.pl
Seweryn Krupnik, Institute of Sociology, Center for Evaluation and Analysis of Public Policies Jagiellonian University, seweryn.krupnik@uj.edu.pl
Aleksandra Rudawska, Institute of Management, University of Szczecin, aleksandra.rudawska@usz.edu.pl

Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (online)
2026-02-16 - 2026-02-20 | Online
This course will provide you with an interactive online learning environment using advanced pedagogical tools, and is specifically designed for masters level students and above. The course is limited to a maximum of 16 participants, ensuring that the teaching team can address the unique needs of each individual.
Upon completion of this course, you will have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of qualitative comparative analysis and how to apply it to a research project within your area of study. This knowledge and practical experience will equip you with valuable skills for conducting in-depth research and analysis in your field.
3 ECTS credits awarded for engaging fully in class activities.
1 additional ECTS credit awarded for completing a post-course assignment.
Instructor: Seweryn Krupnik (Jagiellonian University)

seweryn.krupnik@uj.edu.pl

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops: Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) (Online course)
2026-02-23 - 2026-02-27 | Online
This five-day online course introduces Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an approach that enables researchers to model causal complexity by analyzing whether different configurations of conditions are necessary or sufficient for an outcome, relying on technical implementation in R.

Instructors:
Ioana-Elena Oana, European University Institute, Italy
Barbora Valik, Central European University, Austria

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops: Advanced Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) (Online course)
2026-02-23 - 2026-02-27 | Online
This 5-day online course exposes participants to advanced methodological developments in Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) that allow for further solidifying their results, and enables them to apply state-of-the-art set-theoretic analytic tools in R.
Intructor: Ioana-Elena Oana, European University Institute

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops: Comparative Case Study Design (On-Site course)
2026-02-23 - 2026-02-27 | University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstrasse 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany
This five-day in-person course teaches you how to design your qualitative comparative case study research, from defining research questions and concepts to selecting cases, choosing strategies for data collection and analysis, and addressing research-practical issues.
Intructors: Eva Thomann, University of Konstanz, Germany

Konstanz Methods Excellence Workshops: Introduction to Causal Process Tracing (Online course)
2026-02-23 - 2026-02-27 | Online
Taking a hands-on approach, this five-day online course introduces you to the essentials of Process Tracing and develops both the theoretical understanding and the practical skills to set-up and conduct a full-fledged PT-study.
Intructors: Hilde van Meegdenburg, Leiden University, Netherlands

5th Annual QCA Conference of the Americas
2026-03-18 - 2026-03-20 | University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, United States
The 5th Annual QCA Conference of the Americas (AQCA2026) will be held March 18-20, 2026 at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati, USA. See https://compasss.org/aqca/ for the call for proposals, registration process, conference program, and complete details.
The QCA Conference of the Americas (AQCA) provides a venue for the broad, cross-disciplinary community of researchers and practitioners working with configurational-comparative methods and approaches to gather together to present and receive feedback on current research projects, share theoretical and methodological developments, and discuss new directions in configurational-comparative research practices. Bringing together the diverse set of QCA empirical and methodological researchers, AQCA offers a supportive environment for the community to meet, engage in dialogue, network, learn, and collectively move forward on advancing the configurational-comparative perspective.

Introduction to Causal Data Analysis & Modeling with Coincidence Analysis
2026-06-08 - 2026-06-11 | University of California, Berkeley School of Social Welfare and the Peder Sather Center, Berkeley, United States
This workshop offers an intensive four-day introduction to causal modeling with Coincidence Analysis (CNA), a novel configurational comparative method of data analysis geared towards causal complexity, which has seen a considerable uptick in applications in recent years (click here for references). No prior knowledge of CNA is required.
In plenary lectures, the main developer of CNA, Michael Baumgartner, and a team of experienced CNA methodologists and practitioners (Drs. Cragun, Freitas, Huang, and Miech) will guide participants through the nuts and bolts of configurational data analysis and cutting-edge methodological innovations, as well as offer advice on practical issues such as getting funded and published with CNA. In smaller practice groups, understanding of the material will also be deepened through applied exercises and the instructors will demonstrate how to make the most of current software for CNA.
From Boolean algebra and the philosophical roots of regularity theories of causation, over the basic ideas behind CNA’s search algorithm, and measures of fit to multi-outcome structures, model ambiguities, and robustness analyses, this introduction will enable participants to conduct CNA analyses themselves and review those of other researchers in a sophisticated manner. This will also be an opportunity to get to know researchers working with and on CNA from all over the world.
The workshop agenda is available here. You can register for the conference here.
Costs:

Early bird fee for registration prior to January 31, 2026 is $850.
Standard registration (February 1, 2026 – April 15, 2026) is $950.
Late registration (April 16th 2026 – May 15th, 2026) is $1050.

Crisp and Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) Course at GSERM, St. Gallen, Switzerland | June 8-12, 2026
2026-06-08 - 2026-06-12 | GSERM, University of St. Gallen, Tellstrasse 2 9000 St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Five-day QCA course as part of the Global School in Empirical Research Methods (GSERM), hosted by the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
Course Overview
This intensive workshop provides a thorough introduction to both crisp- and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). Participants receive hands-on instruction with the fsQCA software package and develop the skills necessary to design and execute research projects using set-analytic approaches.
Who should attend:
This course is intended for doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty across the social sciences who are interested in studying configurational phenomena and causal complexity using set-analytic methods.
About QCA
Qualitative Comparative Analysis combines analytical techniques with a conceptual framework ideal for studying configurational phenomena. It excels at analyzing causally complex situations characterized by multiple, conjunctural causation—where various factors interact in complex ways to produce outcomes.
Developed in the 1980s by sociologist and political scientist Charles Ragin, QCA bridges the gap between primarily qualitative, case-oriented approaches and primarily quantitative, variable-oriented approaches.
QCA employs Boolean algebra to analyze set relations, allowing researchers to formally identify patterns of necessity and sufficiency for outcomes of interest. Since its inception, QCA has evolved into a diverse set of techniques sharing a set-analytic foundation, encompassing both descriptive and inferential methodologies.
Applications
As a formal approach for data analysis, QCA can be applied to essentially any setting, but it is particularly valuable for analyzing datasets with relatively few observations (traditionally 10-50 cases). Recent developments have expanded QCA applications to medium- and large-N situations involving hundreds or even thousands of cases. While these applications require methodological adaptations, they maintain QCA’s advantages for analyzing configurational phenomena and causal complexity.
Contact Information
For questions or additional information, please contact me at fiss@marshall.usc.edu.
The complete course manual can be found here: Complete course details and application information here

5th International Conference on Current Issues in Coincidence Analysis
2026-06-12 - 2026-06-13 | University of California, Berkeley School of Social Welfare and the Peder Sather Center, Berkeley, United States
We are pleased to announce the 5th International Conference on “Current Issues on Coincidence Analysis,” scheduled to take place on June 12-13, 2026, at UC Berkeley, School of Social Welfare. This conference serves as a premier platform for the exchange of ideas and collaboration between Coincidence Analysis (CNA) methodologists and applied researchers.
Conference Scope: The conference will feature discussions on the latest methodological developments in CNA, addressing open questions and challenges in the field. Moreover, researchers will have the opportunity to showcase exemplary applications of CNA from any discipline, as well as theoretical or conceptual developments.
Highlights:

Invited talks by leading CNA experts
Contributed paper presentations
Networking opportunities

We now invite the submission of extended abstracts for contributed papers. Submissions may cover three main areas: Applied (utilizing CNA to analyze empirical data), methodological (further developing the CNA method and its technical aspects), or theoretical (advancing the theory of causation underpinning CNA). We request extended abstracts of up to 1000 words that clearly outline the research question, methodology, key findings, and contribution to the field. All submissions will undergo a peer-review process. To submit an abstract, fill out this form. The submission deadline is March 13, 2026. Notification of acceptance will occur by March 28, 2026.
Conference Venue: UC Berkeley, School of Social Welfare
Contact Information: For any inquiries or additional information, please contact michael.baumgartner@uib.no.

Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)
2026-06-29 - 2026-07-03 | Central European University, Vienna, Austria
This five-day course introduces Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), a set-theoretic method that enables researchers to analyze causal complexity by identifying necessary and sufficient configurations of conditions for an outcome. The course combines conceptual foundations with hands-on exercises, including calibration, necessity and sufficiency analysis, truth tables, and solution interpretation using R.
Instructor:
Eva Thomann, University of Konstanz

Introduction to Process Tracing Methods
2026-06-29 - 2026-07-03 | Central European University, Vienna, Austria
This five-day course provides an introduction to process tracing as a qualitative method for within-case causal inference. Participants learn how to theorize causal mechanisms, collect and assess empirical evidence, and apply process tracing to their own research designs.
Instructor:
Hilde van Meegdenburg, Leiden University
