This course focuses on importance of Social networks in understanding social structure and social behavior. Network analysts study the structure of these relations, how the patterns of social interactions allocate resources, constrain behavior, and channel social change. The students cover both quantitative and qualitative methods in Social Network Analysis and application of network perspective in conceptualization and clarification of different types of important sociological questions and answers. The course will show how attending to the organization of social relationships can increase our understanding of various aspects of individual, community, and organizational life. The topic of “social capital” – resources people may access through their social contacts – will be a central focus of the course. What are the costs and benefits of different kinds of network structure for people and for groups? The course will constantly ask how and why various forms of personal social capital are unequally distributed, and how this contributes to social mobility and the reproduction of inequality.
