300193 Personal Network Analysis (BS) (WiSe 2014/2015)

Personal Network Analysis
Assoc. Prof. Miranda Lubbers
The aim of this MA course is to provide students with an understanding of what personal networks are and
how they can design and perform personal network research. The course is a mix of lectures and computer
sessions. After discussing the basic definitions and central concepts in personal network research, we will
briefly relate networks with various theoretical streams in the social sciences. This will give students an
understanding of the different requirements that researchers may pose to their instruments. We will then
introduce the basic steps of measurement of personal networks in survey research. Students will be
introduced to a variety of "name generators" and alternative approaches used in the social sciences, which
will be compared with respect to contents, the characteristics of the measured networks and ties, the
reliability and validity of the measures, and respondent burden. An overview is given of basic "name
interpreters", such as tie strength, roles, and geographical locations, and of "name connectors". We will also
pay due attention to the qualitative measurement of networks and to visualization, in order to capture better
the overall structures of relationships and their meaning. The last part of the course focuses on methods of
analysis of personal network data, discussing the latest developments in this area.
The course will be illustrated with examples from the lecturer's own research in migration and
transnationalism and the broader literature. Throughout the course, the students will have hands-on sessions
with various computer programs (EgoNet, Vennmaker, and Visone) that were developed for the computerassisted
collection, visualization and analysis of networks, with both quantitative and qualitative aspects.
Students are strongly encouraged to do the suggested readings before the sessions. They are further
expected to give a presentation outlining a research design in which personal networks are integrated in a
project in their field of interest, and to participate actively in class discussions. For obtaining credits, they
need to complete and report on two computer assignments.