Social Network Analysis

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

Networks help us measure and quantify how we are connected to one another and understand the consequences of those connections. Network analysis can shed light on a variety of social problems and their trajectories, such as the origins of social segregation, the balance of geopolitical alliances, the structure of organizations, the spread of diseases and rumors, and the emergence of political polarization. This class will introduce core concepts, methods, and applications of social network analysis. Class sessions will be a mixture of discussion, lecture, and in-class “lab” exercises. We will conduct analyses of empirical data, run simulations of social processes, and design visualizations of network data. Students will also conduct their own network-based research. The course will be primarily in R and Python.