Introduction to Networks

1 Course Unit

What we think and do is shaped by social interactions: the behavior we see in other people or the information we receive from them. We pay attention to what our friends do, we monitor news through social media feeds, and we are more likely to adopt ideas already embraced by our groups of reference. Networks are behind those (and, by extension, most) dimensions of social life: they offer the language to capture the invisible structure of interdependence that links us together. Networks also offer the means to analyze dynamics of diffusion, the pathways of influence, and the effects of media in an increasingly interconnected information environment. The aim of this course is to introduce networks and the relational way of thinking. Students will learn how to read, interpret, and design network-based research; how to go from concepts to metrics; and how to draw and interpret networks through the lens of substantive research questions. We will pay equal attention to the theory and the empirics of network science, and set the foundations for more advanced research on networks. Fall or Spring 1 Course Unit