Process tracing

5-6 May 2022

Dre Elisa Volpi, coordinatrice CUSO

Prof. Derek Beach, Aarhus University

Course goals

The aim of this course is to provide participants with a working understanding of the core elements of process tracing (PT) as a robust case study method, enabling you to utilize it in your own research – either alone or in combination with other methods. The course will discuss PT's relative strengths and limitations, different variants, and how it can be combined productively with other methods in multi-method designs such as experiments or small/medium-n comparisons using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). During the course, the core elements of PT will be introduced, focusing first on the theory-side by assessing what we are actually 'tracing' using PT (i.e. causal process), and second, how we are able to make evidence-based causal inferences using within-case, 'mechanistic' evidence. The final session deals with case selection and how PT can be combined with other methods. 

Note to participants:

· there are readings that you are expected to read IN ADVANCE of the course. 

· there will also be working group exercises that will draw on your own research project.

May 5 and 6, 7.5 hours per day

Location: University of Lausanne, salle 340.1 Amphipôle 

Lausanne

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