ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the use of methods that can deliver the complex methodological requirements of the concept of synthesis. Many social developments are only possible when people act together in communicated and coordinated ways. Social institutions like families, religious organisations and economic organisations are such examples. The approach of meta-analysis has often been associated with synthesis in that it attempts to draw together the conclusions of several studies and then concludes on the overall findings. Cluster analysis (CA) is a quantitative case based method that uses variable scores to measure how similar or different cases are to each other. Several different measures of distance are available in contemporary multivariate CA. The chapter fully assesses the concurrent use of qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) with CA, both to validate further clusters identified, but also to understand variable effects on cluster definition. First it is important to make one further point about how CA can help understand dynamic patterns in social life.
