14.15
Networks
Highlights common principles that permeate the functioning of diverse technological, economic and social networks. Utilizes three sets of tools for analyzing networks -- random graph models, optimization, and game theory -- to study informational and learning cascades; economic and financial networks; social influence networks; formation of social groups; communication networks and the Internet; consensus and gossiping; spread and control of epidemics; control and use of energy networks; and biological networks. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.
Spring 2022
Topics
- Introduction to social and economic networks
- Random graphs (cont.)
- Diffusion models and the Covid-19 Pandemic - Guest lecture by Sara Ellison
- Strategic aspects of diffusion and cascading behavior (cont.)
- Midterm
- Network effects in markets (cont.)
- Advanced topics in network game theory - Guest lecture by Asuman Ozdaglar
- Social networks, misinformation, and polarization - Guest lecture by James Siderius
Readings
- • David Easley and Jon Kleinberg (EK), Networks, Crowds, and Markets: Reasoning about a Highly Connected World , Cambridge University Press. (An excellent textbook at about the level of our course; we will however go somewhat deeper on some topics.)
- • Matthew Jackson, Social and Economic Networks , Princeton University Press. (An excellent textbook at a somewhat more advanced level.)
- [Jackson] = Matthew Jackson, Social and Economic Networks , Princeton University Press. ISBN: 9780691148205. An excellent textbook at a somewhat more advanced level.
- Reading: [EK] Chapter 1; [Jackson] Chapter 1
- Reading: [EK] Chapters 2, 3, 4, and 13; [Jackson] Chapters 2 and 3
- Reading: [EK] Chapter 14
- Optional Reading: “Production Networks: A Primer,” Carvalho and Tahbaz-Salehi, Annual Review of Economics , 11:635-663, 2019. Note: This reading is a bit too advanced. You can skim it as you wish.
- Reading: [Jackson] Chapter 8.3
- Reading: [Jackson] Chapter 4
- Reading: [EK] Chapter 21; [Jackson] Chapters 7.1-7.2
- Topic: Diffusion models and the Covid-19 Pandemic (g uest lecture by Sara Ellison)
- Reading: “An Economist’s Guide to Epidemiology Models of Infectious Disease,” Ellison et al., Journal of Economic Perspectives , 34(4) 79-104, 2020.
- Reading: [EK] Chapter 19; [Jackson] Chapter 9.6
- Reading: [EK] Chapter 6
- Reading: [EK] Chapter 8
- Reading: [EK] Chapter 17; [Jackson] Section 9.7 and 10.1-10.2
- Reading: [EK] Chapter 10
- Reading: [EK] Chapters 11 and 12; [Jackson] Section 10.3
- Reading: [EK] Chapters 9 and 15
- Reading: [EK] Chapters 22 and 23
- Reading: [EK] Chapter 16; [Jackson] Chapter 8.1-8.2
Spring 2018
Topics
- Introduction to Social, Economic, and Technological Networks
- Network Representations, Measures, and Metrics (I)
- Network Representations, Measures, and Metrics (II)
- Linear Dynamic Systems, Markov Chains, and Centralities (I)
- Linear Dynamic Systems, Markov Chains, and Centralities (II)
- Linear Dynamic Systems, Markov Chains, and Centralities (III)
- Dynamics Over Graph: Information Spread and Distributed Computation
- Graph Decomposition, Clustering, and Connectivity
- Random Graph Models, Branching Processes, Phase Transition, and Connectedness (I)
- Random Graph Models, Branching Processes, Phase Transition, and Connectedness (II)
- Random Graph Models, Branching Processes, Phase Transition, and Connectedness (III)
- Generative Network Models
- Introduction to Game Theory (I)
- Introduction to Game Theory (II)
- Traffic Flow and Congestion Games
- Network Effects (I)
- Network Effects (II)
- Networked Markets
- Repeated Games, Cooperation, and Network Applications
- Diffusion Models (I)
- Diffusion Models (II)
- Games with Incomplete Information and Introduction to Social Learning
- Social Learning
- Strategic Network Formation
- Project Presentations
Readings
- [Newman] Newman, Mark. Networks: An Introduction . Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780199206650.
- [EK] Easley, David and Jon Kleinberg. Networks, Crowds, and Markets: Reasoning about a Highly Connected World. Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780521195331.
- [Jackson] Jackson, Matthew. Social and Economic Networks . Princeton University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780691148205.
- [Osborne] Osborne, Martin. Introduction to Game Theory . Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN: 9780195128956.
- [Newman] Skim Chapters 1–5
- [EK] Chapter 1
- [Newman] Chapters 6–7
- [EK] Skim Chapters 2–5
- Ses #: 8 · Topic: Graph Decomposition and Cluttering · Readings: [Newman] Chapters 6 and 11
- Ses #: 9–11 · Topic: Random Graph Models · Readings: [Newman] Chapters 12–13
- Ses #: 12 · Topic: Generative Graph Models · Readings: [Newman] Chapters 14–15
- [EK] Chapter 6
- [EK] Chapter 8
- [Jackson] Chapter 6
- [EK] Chapter 17
- [Jackson] Chapters 9, 11
- [EK] Chapters 10–11
- [Jackson] Chapter 10
- [Osborne] Chapters 14–15
- [EK] Chapter 19
- [Jackson] Chapter 7.2
- [EK] Chapter 16
- [Jackson] Chapter 6–7
- [Osborne] Chapter 9
- Ses #: 25 · Topic: Project Presentations · Readings: No assigned readings
- (Required) Newman, Mark. Networks: An Introduction . Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780199206650.
- (Recommended) Easley, David and Jon Kleinberg. Networks, Crowds, and Markets: Reasoning about a Highly Connected World. Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780521195331.
- (Recommended) Jackson, Matthew. Social and Economic Networks . Princeton University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780691148205.
- (Recommended) Osborne, Martin. Introduction to Game Theory . Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN: 9780195128956.
Prerequisites & course information
Same subject as 6.3260J Subject meets with 14.150 Prereq: 6.3700 or 14.30 U (Fall) 4-0-8 units. HASS-S
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Spring 2022
- MIT OCW calendar ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Spring 2018
- MIT OCW calendar ↗
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.