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Yes, I agree.  Loet

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Social Networks Discussion Forum 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Garry Robins
> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:48 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: FW: Networks and conformity
> 
> *****  To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org  *****
> 
> " It seems to me that we all agree that SNA is a strong tool 
> for the analysis of structure in data, but that the dynamics 
> ("change") require additional methodologies. The best one can 
> do with SNA is comparative statics."
> 
> I don't think this is so. There are continuous time models 
> for network dynamics. They include the work that Tom Snijders 
> and his group have been doing so ingeniously for the better 
> part of a decade.
> 
> 
> Garry
> 
> 
> Dr Garry Robins
> Associate Professor and Reader
> Department of Psychology
> School of Behavioural Science
> University of Melbourne
> Victoria 3010
> Australia
> 
> Tel: 61 3 8344 4912
> Fax: 61 3 9347 6618
> Web: www.psych.unimelb.edu.au/people/staff/RobinsG.html
> Melnet website: http://www.sna.unimelb.edu.au/
> 
> 
> 
>   
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Social Networks Discussion Forum 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Loet Leydesdorff
> Sent: Thursday, 11 January 2007 9:43 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Networks and conformity
> 
> *****  To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org  *****
> 
> Dear Emanuela, Ryan, and colleagues, 
> 
> It seems to me that we all agree that SNA is a strong tool 
> for the analysis
> of structure in data, but that the dynamics ("change") 
> require additional
> methodologies. The best one can do with SNA is comparative statics. 
> 
> The jump to a cultural narrative as the only alternative is 
> too quickly made
> for me. The cultural narrative focuses on the cases which 
> happened to occur,
> but not on what might have occurred, i.e., the statistics of the
> development. I suggest that we need a calculus for this and 
> information
> theory provides us with this apparatus:
> 
> The Static and Dynamic Analysis of Network Data Using 
> Information Theory,
> Social Networks 13 (1991) 301-345; at
> http://users.fmg.uva.nl/lleydesdorff/SoNetworks91/SoNetworks91.pdf
> 
> Of course, one also needs substantive theories for the 
> specification of the
> mechanisms. Cultural studies can be very helpful from this 
> perspective. 
> 
> With best wishes, 
> 
> 
> Loet
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> Loet Leydesdorff 
> Amsterdam School of Communications Research (ASCoR)
> Kloveniersburgwal 48, 1012 CX Amsterdam
> Tel.: +31-20- 525 6598; fax: +31-20- 525 3681 
> [log in to unmask] ; http://www.leydesdorff.net/ 
> 
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