Social Network Analysis

Social Network Analysis is

Social Network Analysis is also a key component of Power Structure Research

Background

Social network analysis [SNA] is the mapping and measuring of relationships and flows between people, groups, organizations, computers, web sites, and other information/knowledge processing entities. The nodes in the network are the people and groups while the links show relationships or flows between the nodes. SNA provides both a visual and a mathematical analysis of human relationships. Management consultants use this methodology with their business clients and call it Organizational Network Analysis [ONA].

To understand networks and their participants, we evaluate the location of actors in the network. Measuring the network location is finding the centrality of a node. These measures give us insight into the various roles and groupings in a network -- who are the connectors, mavens, leaders, bridges, isolates, where are the clusters and who is in them, who is in the core of the network, and who is on the periphery?"

Fetishising Social Network Analysis

Bill Domhoff argued in 2005 that many present day adherents of social network analysis have forgotten its important links to questions of power:

those who practice in the burgeoning field of network analysis ignore the early corporate interlock studies and continue to use hypothetical or small-group data for the most part while they hone their methodologies. It is as if these rigorous people are embarrassed by part of their early history.

Resources

• Jiscmail list SNA 'The list will facilitate discussion of social network analysis amongst interested UK academics, and will facilitate organisation of off-line meetings.'

See Also

• Power Structure Research | Investigative Research |