Network Science

(based on the National Academy of Sciences' 2005 Report on Network Science)

Network Science is a new field of investigation that seeks the organized knowledge of networks based on their study using the scientific method.  Network Science consists of the study of network representations of physical, biological, and social phenomena leading to predictive models of these phenomena.

Some applications of network science are: Information and communication networks, biological networks, social networks, control and mechanical systems, industrial applications and militariy applications.   Frequent analytical tools used to characterize and study the properties of network models are: Discrete math, combinatories, graph theory, dynamical systems, master and rate equations, mean field theory, generating functions, sthocastic networks, statistical mechanics, agent-based models and clustering tools.

Network Science Conference NetSci 2006

Complex Human Networks Reading Group (CoHN)

New England Complex Systems Institute

Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology & Life Sciences

The Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University

Social Network Analysis Resources and Readings

Links:

Papers:

  • Burt, Ronald S.  Structural Holes vs. Network Closure as Social Capital.  May, 2000.
  • Burt, R. S. “Network Items and the General Social Survey.” Social Networks 6, (1984): 293-340.
  • Burt, R. S., Minor, Michael J. Applied Network Analysis: A Methodological Introduction. Sage, Beverly Hills, 18-34.
  • Burt, R. S. “A Note on Sociometric Order in the General Social Survey Network Data.” Social Networks, 8, (1986): 149-174.
  • Carley, Kathleem M., Ju-Sung Lee, David Krackhardt. Destabilizing Networks. Carnegie Mellon University, November 2001
  • Castro, M. et al. Exploiting network proximity in peer-to-peer overlay networks. 
  • Cross Rob, Andrew Parker and Stephen P. Borgatti (2002).  A bird's-eye view:  Using social network analysis to improve knowledge creation and sharing.  IBM Institute for Business Value. 
  • de Sola Pool, I., & Kochen, M. “Contacts and Influence.” Social Networks 1, (1978): 5-51.
  • Degenne, Alain and Michael Forse. Introducing Social Networks. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1994.
  • Doreian and Woodard. “Defining and Locating Cores and Boundaries of Social Networks.” Social Networks, 16, (1994): 267-293.
  • Emirbayer, M. & Goodwin. “J. Network Analysis, Culture, and the Problems of Agency.” American Journal of Sociology, 99, (1994): 1411-54
  • Newman, M.E.J. The structure and function of complex networks
  • Flap, H.D.; Snijders, T.A.B.; Volker, B.;Van der Gaag, M.P.J. (1999-2003) Measurement instruments for social capital of individuals. (Brief introduction to currently used measurement instruments, listing questionnaire items of the three instruments from the 1999-2000 Social Survey on the Networks of the Dutch.)
  • Freeman, Linton C.  Visualizing Social Groups
  • Freeman, L. C. “Centrality in Social Networks: Conceptual Clarification.” Social Networks, 1, (1979): 215-239.
  • Freeman, L. C., Douglas R. White, and A. Kinball Romney (eds). Research Methods in Social Network Analysis. Fairfax, VA: George Mason University Press, 1989.
  • Granovetter, M. “The Strength of Weak Ties”. American Journal of Sociology, 78, (1973): 1360-1380.
  • Guy Hagen, Dennis K. Killinger and Richard B. Streeter (1997)An Analysis of Communication Networks Among Tampa Bay Economic Development Organizations
  • Holland , P. W., & Leinhardt, S. “The Statistical Analysis of Local Structure in Social Networks.” In D.R. Heise (Ed.), Sociological Methodology, (1976): 1-45.
  • Holland and Leinhardt. “The Structural Implications of Measurement Error in Sociometry”. Journal of Mathematical Sociology, 3, (1973): 85-111.
  • Kadushin, Charles. Too Much Investment in Social Capital?
  • Kadushin, Charles. Basic Network Concepts
  • Krippendorf, K. “Clustering.” In P.R. Monge and J.N. Cappella (Eds.). Multivariate Techniques for Human Communication Research. New York, Academic Press, (1980): 259-308.
  • Lankford, P.M. “Comparative Analysis of Clique Identification Methods.” Sociometry, 37, (1974): 287-305.
  • Laumann, E. O., P. V. Marsden, & J. Galaskiewicz. “Community Influence Structures: Extension and Replication of a Network Approach.” American Journal of Sociology, 83, (1977): 594-631.
  • Laumann, Marsden in Prensky. The Boundary Specification Problem in Network Analysis. In. 1983.
  • Marsden, Peter, and Karen Campbell. 1984. Measuring Tie Strength..
  • Marsden, Peter V. 1990. "Network Data and Measurement".  Annual Review of Sociology. 1990
  • Marsden, P. & Lin, N. (Eds.). Social Structure and Network Analysis. Beverly Hills, Sage,1982.
  • Marsden, P.V. “Models and Methods for Characterizing the Structural Parameters of Groups.” Social Networks, 3, (1981): 1-27.
  • Marsden, P.V. “Network Data and Measurement.” Annual Review of Sociology, 16, (1990): 435-463.
  • Marsden, P., David Knoke and Arne L. Kalleberg. "Survey Research Methods." Companion to Organizations, edited by Joel A.C. Baum. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, (2001): 781-804.
  • Marsden, P. "Egocentric and Sociocentric Measures of Network Centrality." Social Networks, 24 (November, 2002): 407-422.
  • Marsden, P. "Recent Developments in Network Measurement." in Peter J. Carrington, John Scott, and Stanley Wasserman (eds.) Models and Methods in Social Network Analysis. New York: Cambridge University Press, (2005): 8-30.
  • Mergel, Ines.  Dealing with missing data in social network studies
  • Podolny, Joel M. and James N. Baron. "Resources and Relationships: Social Networks and Mobility in the Workplace". American Sociological Review, 1997, Vol. 62 (October: 673-693)
  • Reitz, K. P. “Using Log Linear Analysis With Network Data: Another Look at Sampson’s Monastery”. Social Networks, 4, (1982): 243-256.
  • Wasserman, Faust Social Network Analysis. Methods and Applications, Cambridgw University press, 1997.
  • Wellman, Barry and Keith Hampton (1999).  Living Networked in a Wired World.  in Contemporary Sociology, Vol. 28 No.6, November, 1999 (original version was at http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~khampton in April, 2004)
  • Wellman, Barry (2002).  Designing the Internet for a Networked Society.
  • Wellman, Barry (1998). From Little Boxes to Loosely-Bounded Networks:  The Privatization and Domestication of Community.

Links to related software and other resources

Some material in Spanish:

Classes on Social Networks

Readings and resources on Collective Intelligence

MIT Center for Collective Intelligence