Use of social network analysis to uncover the power relations in elected bodies. Analysis of the links between the Regional Council of Vysočina County
Abstract
Study based upon survey among members of regional parliament (Vysocina) confirms that methods of Social Network Analysis are suitable for discovering key persons among members voted representatives: the persons with real informal power in the assembly. About 50 % members of regional parliament, most of those with the highest official authority, participated in the survey.
Regional president, seven from nine members of regional council and five from six leaders of committees are among respondents. Analysis of anonymized data is provided and possible problems with data interpretation mentioned.
SW program UCINET was used for presented analysis of centrality and cliques. SW program NetDraw was used for presenting ties among individual members of regional parliament showing relationship to their political parties, membership at committees and to district of their residence.
Possible applications of these methods in sociology, political science and other fields of interest are mentioned, problems and another possible ways for other scholars are described in conclusion.