Network Analysis

The size and availability of network information has exploded over the last decade. Social scientists now share the stage of network analysis with computer scientists, physicists, and statisticians. While a number of introductions to network analysis are now available, most focus on theory, methods, or application alone. This book integrates all three. Network Analysis is an introduction to both the why and how of Social Network Analysis (SNA). It presents a broad theoretical overview rooted in social scientific approaches and guides users in how network analysis can answer core theoretical questions. It provides a comprehensive overview of descriptive and analytical approaches, including practical tutorials in R with sample data sets. Using an integrated approach, this book aims to quickly bring novice network researchers up to speed while avoiding common programming and analysis mistakes so that they might gain insight into the fundamental theories, key concepts, and methodological application of SNA.

'This is the text social network analysts have long awaited. Written by four of the most dynamic thinkers in the field, it achieves the impossible on multiple fronts: seamlessly integrating theory, method, and implementation; appropriate for novice and veteran analysts alike; truly comprehensive in scope, from the classic to the cutting edge; and somehow both sophisticated and accessible - featuring, for several important concepts, the clearest and most thoughtful treatment of the material I've ever seen. I feel certain it will become the foundational text for the next generation of relational scholars and I can't wait to have it on my shelf.' Kevin Lewis, University of California, San Diego

Table of Contents: