DH3501: Advanced Social Networks

Calendar

Reading abreviations:

• EK - Easley, D., & Kleinberg, J. (2010). Networks, crowds, and markets. Cambridge University.
• TK - Tsvetovat, M., & Kouznetsov, A. (2011). Social network analysis for startups: Finding connections on the social web. O'Reilly Media, Inc.
• J - Jackson, M. O. (2010). Social and economic networks. Princeton University Press.
• RWE - Robinson, I., Webber, J., & Eifrem, E. (2013). Graph databases. O'Reilly Media, Inc.

Unit 1: A networked world

• Class 01
  • Topics:
    • Syllabus

• Class 02
  • Topics:
    • Intro. to networks.
    • The computing environment: IPython Notebook and Beyond.
  • Readings:
    • TK: 1
    • EK: 1

• Class 03
  • Topics:
    • Why study networks?
    • Barabasi and the New Science of Networks
    • History of Network Studies
    • Network studies in the real world.
  • Readings:
    • J: 1, pp:17 - 31
    • Video: Albert-László Barabási https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni_A2bAkUww

Unit 2: Graph Theory and Social Network Analysis (5 classes)

Introduction to graph theory, centrality, and graph measures:

• Readings: TK: 2, EK: 2, TK: 3 , J: 2

• Class 04
  • Topics:
    • Basic definitions
    • Data formats
    • NetworkX
    • Paths/traversals
  • Readings:
    • TK 2
    • EK: 2

• Class 05
  • Topics:
    • Review of the NetworkX API.
    • Introduction to centrality measures.
    • Intepreting centrality.
  • Readings:
    • TK: 3
    • NetworkX docs

• Class 06
  • Topics:
    • Formal definitions of graph theory concepts and network statistics.
    • How to approach the Jackson text:
      • A guide to set symbols and set builder notation.
      • Statistics and beyond...
      • Centrality in detail
  • Readings:
    • J: 2

Cliques, community, and introduction to structure and dynamics (Design 2):

• Class 07
  • Topics:
    • Strong and weak ties
    • Triadic closure
    • Clustering
    • Structural holes
  • Readings:
    • EK 3

• Class 08
  • Topics:
    • Applied cluster analysis
  • Readings:
    • TK 4

• Class 09
  • Topics:
    • Homophily
    • Bipartite/multipartie networks
  • Readings:
    • EK 4
    • TK 5

• Class 10
  • Topics:
    • Structural balance
    • Local and global network effects
  • Readings:
    • EK 5

Social network analysis: empirical studies

• Class 11
  • Topics:
    • Empirical network studies
  • Readings:
    • J 3
    • Moretti

• Class 12
  • Topics:
    • Empirical network studies
  • Readings:
    • Social capital

Midterm:

• Class 13
  • Midterm!!!

Unit 3: Graphs in the Real World: Tooling and Techniques

NOTE this section will probably be extended into four classes, depending on student progress. There is an extra "catch-up" class scheduled at the end.

• Class 14
  • Topics:
    • Graph data
    • Relational databases
    • The property graph model
    • NoSQL
    • Graph databases
  • Readings:
    • TK 7
    • RWE 1
    • RWE 2

• Class 15
  • Topics:
    • Data modelling with graph databases!
  • Readings:
    • RWE 3

• Class 16
  • Topics:
    • Gremlin
    • GraphX
  • Readings:
    • Tinkerpop docs
    • Spark/GraphX docs

Unit 4: Models and theory: Advanced topics in network analysis (3 classes)

Structure and models (design 1):

• Class 17
  • Topics:
    • Power laws
    • The rich get richer
    • Information cascades
  • Readings:
    • EK 18

• Class 18
  • Topics:
    • Models for graph formation.
  • Readings:
    • Videos: Mathew Jackson 3.1 - 3.5: https://class.coursera.org/networksonline-003/lecture (this is an archived Coursera class, the videos can be viewed by anyone, just create a free account)

Strategy and interaction (design 1):

• Readings: EK: 12, J: 6, ???

• Class 19
  • Topics:
    • Bargaining in networks
    • Outcomes of interaction
    • The Nash bargaining solution.
    • Stability and balance in network outcomes.
  • Readings:
    • EK 12

Diffusion and dynamics:

• Readings: TK: 6, EK: 19, EK: 20, EK: 21, J: 7, ???

• Class 20
  • Topics:
    • Viral information diffusion on the internet.
  • Readings:
    • TK 6

• Class 21
  • Topics:
    • Information cascades
    • Diffusion in networks
  • Readings:
    • EK 19

Innovative Studies in Graphs:

• Class 22
  • Topics:
    • Innovative studies in graph theory
  • Readings:
    • Schich, M., Song, C., Ahn, Y. Y., Mirsky, A., Martino, M., Barabási, A. L., & Helbing, D. (2014). A network framework of cultural history. science, 345(6196), 558-562.
    • Ahn, Y. Y., Ahnert, S. E., Bagrow, J. P., & Barabási, A. L. (2011). Flavor network and the principles of food pairing. Scientific reports, 1.

• Class 23
  • Catch up!

• Class 24
  • Prepare for final project presentations!
  • All day workshop!

Presentations:

• Class 25
  • Topics:
    • Student presentations

• Class 26
  • Topics:
    • Student presentations