300002 Social Network Analysis: Concepts and Applications (S) (SoSe 2016)

Over the last two decades, there has been a dramatic growth and progression in the use of network theory and analysis across social sciences. This course provides an overview of social network analysis, and coming up with an analytical summary of the basic assumptions, concepts, goals, and explanatory mechanisms prevalent in the field. Modes of data gathering will be discussed as the ways in which the field is moving from static, cross-sectional design into dynamic design. The class will survey and demonstrate applications of network models of social structure to online networks, online and offline community engagement, inequality in labor market and in business arenas, investments under uncertainty, political networks and social capital, and economy of peer to peer production.

Block course, daily from June 20th to July 1st, 12:00 - 14:00 h

Social Network Analysis: Concepts and Applications

Mo 14-16 Ilan Talmud (contact: talmud@soc.haifa.ac.il)

Over the last two decades, there has been a dramatic growth and progression in the use of network theory and analysis across social sciences. This course provides an overview of social network analysis, and coming up with an analytical summary of the basic assumptions, concepts, goals, modes of data gathering, and explanatory mechanisms prevalent in the field. The class will survey and demonstrate applications of network models of social structure to online networks, inequality in labor market and in business arenas, community engagement and online social capital.

Conditions for Participation:
 6 excerpts from class readings (1 page each)
 For a Grade: Class presentation plus a written summary paper (10-12 pages) OR:
 Seminar litrature research paper (20-25 pages).
Outline:

20 6 2016 Introduction: Elements of Network Theory Demonstrating analytically and graphically applications and relevance of social network analysis using Software UCINET 6.
A short animation of global networks: Network Earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ3OmlbtaMU

21 6 2016 Network Analytics 1: : Kadushin, C. (2004) Introduction to Social Network Theory Chapter 2. “Some Basic Network Concepts and Propositions

22 6 2016 Network Analytics 2: Monge,P. and N. Contractor (2003). Theories of Communication Networks. Ch. 2: Network Concepts, Measures, and the MTML Analytic Framework.

23 6 2016 Markets as Network 1 : Bridging Social Capial (Labor market)
Granovetter, M.S. (1973). The strength of weak ties, American Journal of Sociology. 76: 1360-1380.
24 6 2016 Markets as Networks 2 Production Markets Burt, R. S. (1992), “The Social Structure of the Competition”, Pp. 57-91 in Networks and Organizations, edited by N. Nohria and R. Eccles, Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

27 6 2016 Markets as Networks 3 : Binding Social Capital
Nahapiet, J. and S., Ghoshal (1998), “Social Capital, Intellectual Capital, and the Organizational Advantage”, Academy of Management Review 23 (2): 242-266.

28 6 2016 Market as Networks 4: Embedding Relations Uzzi, B. (1997), “Social Structure and Competition in Interfirm Networks: The Paradox of Embeddedness”, ASQ 42: 35-67.

29 6 2016 Do Social Networks Exacerbatrs Inequality ?.
Lin, Nan (1999). “Social Networks and Status Attainment”, Annual Review of Sociology 25: 467-487 or Chapter 6 in Lin (2000). Pp. 29-79 Social Capital: A Theory of Social Structure and Action. Cambridge University Press
Ibarra, H. (1993). “Personal networks of women and minorities in management: A conceptual framework” Academy of Management Review, 18: 56

30 6 2016 Online Social Networks: Implications for Civic Engagement and Inquality
Gustavo Mesch and Ilan Talmud (2010). “Internet Connectivity, Community Participation, and Place Attachment: A longitudinal Study, Amerian Behavioral Scientist. 53 1095-1110.
Wellman, B. A. Quan Haase, J. Witte, and K., Hampton (2001). "Does the Internet Increase, Decrease, or Supplement Social Capital?" American Behavioral Scientist 45 (3): 436-455. http://www.chase.utoronto.ca/~wellman/publications/index.htm

1 7 2016 Summary and Discussion