Resources on network theory and social network theory?

January 25, 2006 6:45 AM

I am looking for recommendations for books, textbooks, magazine articles, websites, etc. on network theory and social network theory. I am interested in "high theory" as well as the very practical "this is how you model a network that does such-and-such". I'll be happy with anything, however, as a beggar I be.
posted by mrmojoflying to Technology (8 answers total)

Would this post from the Blue interest you?
posted by Gator at 7:14 AM on January 25, 2006

Here's a questia search for "Social Networks - Analysis" - lots of good-looking journal articles come up. You could, of course, generalize it to "Social Networks." If you're at university, you should comb through the (sociology, esp.) databases you have available with a similar search (provided that you haven't yet).

Also, see The International Network for Social Network Analysis. Carnegie-Mellon is also doing a lot of work in the compuational analysis of social networks.
posted by youarenothere at 7:35 AM on January 25, 2006

I have a bunch of citations for different network and social network papers, but it really depends what specifically you want. I am in a business school, so my research and cites are primarily related to social networks within and between organizations, but I also have some more general stuff. Feel free to send me an email about it. I would really need more detail about what you need to be of much help.
posted by bove at 9:17 AM on January 25, 2006

These are likely a little simplistic for what you're looking for, but I enjoyed Linked and Nexus, and have had Duncan Watts, Small Worlds recommended. A book on learning organizations, The Fifth Element could possibly be of interest (still reading). A basic graph theory book was really helpful to me, but it sounds like you have already covered that.
posted by ejaned8 at 9:38 AM on January 25, 2006

Degenne and Forse, Introducing Social Networks is one of the better books on this. If you want a math challenge, work you way up to Wasserman and Faust. For relationships between online networks and other networks, Barry Wellman's work is a good starting point.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 10:25 AM on January 25, 2006

If you're looking for an introduction to the field (couldn't tell from your question), I second the recommendation of Barabasi's "Linked". Of all the popular press intros, I found his to be the most well written and insightful.
posted by i love cheese at 7:22 PM on January 25, 2006

Also, I haven't read it yet, but the newly released The Structure and Dynamics sy Networks is a 624 page volume by Mark Newman, Albert-Lazlo Barabasi, and Duncan Watts, three big names in the field. It looks promising.
posted by i love cheese at 7:33 PM on January 25, 2006

sy=of

the perils of switching between Dvorak and Qwerty layouts
posted by i love cheese at 7:52 PM on January 25, 2006