Process Tracing: Mind the Gap between Theory and Practice

Process tracers investigate processes and sequences of events which lead to or are linked to an outcome the researcher is interested in to investigate. Recent literature is strongly engaged in differentiating various variants of process tracing in order to formalize and systematize the use of this method. Critically discussing these recent methodological contributions, this paper argues that literature is too abstract and does not not address the specific theory contribution of process tracing studies: How process tracing studies contribute to new concepts and hypotheses in comparative political economy? For which kind of research questions are process tracing studies particular useful? In order to address these questions, the paper assesses recent process tracing studies in comparative political economy concerning their theory contribution.  Reviewing studies of comparative capitalism and welfare state research, the paper shows that process tracing studies contribute to two substantive questions: They unpack causes and mechanisms of institutional and policy change and they contribute to understand processes of preference formation.