Introduction to Social Network Analysis and Online Network Analysis for Studing Collective Action Cynamics

Syllabus

The course will take place from March 10 to March 14.

The course will take place in Room J2074 (Jinonice Building). 

The course will be scheduled every day from 11-12.20 in the morning and 14-15.20 in the afternoon.      

Annotation

Title Introduction to social network analysis and online network analysis for studying collective action dynamics

Type Short Seminar

Length 20 Sessions (45 mins each)

Instructor Elena Pavan, PhD

Period (tentative) March, 10th-14th 2014¨

Objectives The seminar aims at providing attendants with basic knowledge on social network analysis as both a theoretical perspective and a tool for investigating political dynamics - especially citizens’ collective political participation (social movements and coalitions). Specific and thorough attention will be given to the online dimension of political participation and to the intertwinement of online and offline participatory dynamics. During the seminar, not only online and offline collective action networks will be introduced from a conceptual point of view but also empirical tools for analysis will be illustrated (i.e., Issue Crawler for the design of online issue and hyperlink networks; NodeXL for social media network analysis). At the end of the seminar, attendants are expected to have acquired familiarity with the peculiarities of the network approach in comparison with other statistical methods of social sciences; with its basic concepts; as well as with how to approach the investigation of online participatory dynamics.

Prerequisites for attendants No specific requirements are requested for attendants. A maximum of 20 students is recommended.

Methods and Contents The seminar will run over eight meetings, each of which will last for 90 mins (2 sessions of 45 minutes). The seminar will be split into frontal lectures and practical sessions, which will take place in computer laboratory. Contents and modes will be as follows:

• Meeting 1: Introduction to basic network analysis concepts and measures (length: 90 mins; type: frontal lecture)

• Meeting 2: Introduction to basic network analysis procedures with NodeXL - part 1 (length: 90 mins; type: computer laboratory)

• Meeting 3: Introduction to social media and online network analysis (length 90 mins; type: frontal lecture)

• Meeting 4: Introduction to basic network analysis procedures with NodeXL - part 2 (length: 90 mins; type: computer laboratory)

• Meeting 5: Overview on issue and hyperlink networks - conceptual premises and design methods (length: 90 mins; type: frontal lecture)

• Meeting 6: Online network analysis with Issue Crawler and NodeXL (length: 90 mins; type: computer laboratory)

• Meeting 7: Overview on social media networks - Facebook and Twitter (length: 90 mins; type: frontal lecture)

• Meeting 8: Social media network analysis with NodeXL (length: 90 mins; type: computer laboratory)

Attendance Students attending at least 75% of meetings (6) will be entitled to earn a certificate of attendance and formative credits

References • Ackland, R. (2013) "Introduction", pp.1-18 in R. Ackland, Web Social Science. Concepts, data and tools for social scientists in the digital age. London:Sage

• Borgatti, S. P., M. G. Everett, and J. C. Johnson. 2013. Analyzing Social Networks. London: Sage.

• Hanneman, Robert A. and Mark Riddle. 2005. Introduction to social network methods. Riverside, CA: University of California, Riverside (published in digital form at http://faculty.ucr.edu/~hanneman/).

• Padovani, C. and E. Pavan. (2009) "Information Networks, Internet Governance and Innovation in World Politics". Pp. pp. 154- 173 in F. Amoretti (edited by), Electronic Constitution: Social, Cultural, and Political Implications, Hershey, PA: IGI Global

• Pavan, E. (2013). "Collective action and Web 2.0. An exploratory network analysis of Twitter use during campaigns". Sociologica (forthcoming in December issue)

• Pavan, E. (2012). "Chapter 2: Investigating Content and Process in Political Dynamics: Theoretical Background and
 Analytic Framework". Pp 37-64 in Frames and Connections in the Governance of Global Communications. A network analysis of the Internet Governance Forum. Lanham (MD): Lexington

• Rogers, R. (2009), The end of the virtual, paper available at www.govcom.org/rogers_paris_medialab.pdf‎