BSocSc Sociology

Our attitudes, behaviors, and life chances are not only a product of our personal choices, goals, and talents, but are strongly constrained and facilitated by the relationships in which we are embedded.  These relationships form networks that are not just developed during our lives, but both precede and succeed our existence. From the moment of birth, when we emerge into a network of kin who will come to define how we see ourselves and the world, to the moment of death when those who gather to mourn us cast a shadow of the network we have accumulated throughout our lives. From family, friends, romantic partners, work colleagues, and even enemies – our lives are powerfully shaped by connections to others. Moreover, networks shape not only individuals but also organizations, economies, and nation-states. This fundamental insight was present from the beginning of sociology, but the tools and methods to show exactly how and when networks matter, have been developed relatively recently. With the introduction of computing into social science and the advent of “big data” the field of social network analysis has been growing nearly exponentially. It has become a major theoretical perspective and a well-regarded methodological approach of the social sciences generally and of sociology in particular. To this end, students will be acquainted with the key concepts and findings as well as trained in the major theories and techniques of network analysis. Part of each class will be a hands-on lab where students will learn network analysis on a variety of real-world datasets. 

We are all connected through networks. We have networks of friends, work colleagues, family ties and many other connections. The term social network and social networking are now part of our popular culture and everyone is familiar with the websites that enable us to more easily communicate using networks. The study of social networks is one of the fastest growing areas in sociology but has been around for decades, dating back to the work of Moreno in the 1930s. The aim of this unit is to give you the tools to map and analyze the patterns of relations that link individuals or groups. Taking this perspective allows us to develop theoretical concepts and methods which enable us to uncover and understand how the patterns in the social relations that bind us together influences our behaviour, attitudes and beliefs.

On completion of this unit successful students will be able to:

- Map and visualize social networks using standard tools
- Analyze network structures using descriptive measures
- Relate and apply key social network theories in different contexts
- Evaluate and critique social network studies

1. Introduction: What is the Social Network Perspective in Sociology?  

2. Network Data and Visualization: How is Network Data Collected and Visualized?  

3. Monads and Local Networks:  How Local Networks Empower and Constrain Us?

4. Monads and Global Networks:  How Global Networks Empower and Constrain Us?

5. Dyads: How to Think in Terms of Relationships Instead of People and their Traits?  

6. Dyads and Attributes: How to Think In Terms of Both (Relationships and Actor Traits)?

7. Triads: How Three can be so Much More than Two  

8. Substructures Beyond Triads: What are a Network’s (Other) Sub-Structures (and What can They Explain)?

9. Network Topology: How to Characterize Networks (and Why it’s Useful to Do so)?

10. Bi-Modal Networks: How Do Groups and Organizations Create (and are Created by) Social Networks? 

Each week will include a one-hour lecture followed by a two-hour computer lab (in lieu of a tutorial).  

Articulate the key concepts, theories and findings of social network analysis

Evaluate and critique social network studies

Use social network analysis software to analyze and visualize social network data

Apply the social network perspective to practical problems

Formative assessment:

Coursework - max. 900 words

Summative assessment:

100% Exam - 2h

All sociology courses include both formative feedback – which lets you know how you’re getting on and what you could do to improve – and summative feedback – which gives you a mark for your assessed work.

Main Textbook: Stephen P Borgatti, Martin G Everett, Jeffrey C Johnson, Filip Agneessens (2024) “Analyzing Social Networks”, 3rd edition, SAGE Publications, London