***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org *****

I view social aggregate behavior as an Open Systems Metaphor. Social
Network is ONE postulated way that "people" organize themselves to
behave in an aggregated way. To make sense of this behavior is to apply
various kinds of methods including Social Network Analyses. Using graphs
is one such SNA; Hierarchy is another; Division of labor is a third
..... This approach has high utility. It yields theory that predicts and
controls.

Roland Werner

--------------------
Social Systems Simulation Group
P.O. Box 6904
San Diego, CA 921-0904

Phone/FAX 619-660-1603
URL http:\\www.sssgrp.com
E-mail [log in to unmask]
--------------------

Dr. Timothy R. Huerta wrote:

>***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org *****
>
>Prosperous new years everyone!
>
>I've always thought of SNA more akin to statistics. Many would argue that
>statistics suffers from many of these same problems. It involves a set of
>tools used by many disciplines and as a result, doesn't really have a
>disciplinary home. Yes, I can hear this same conversation happening in that
>context.
>
>Is statistics, method? Yes. But is that all it is? No.
>
>Tim
>
>
>
>>From: "E.Todeva" <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: "E.Todeva" <[log in to unmask]>
>>Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2006 19:15:48 -0000
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Conversation: SNA is not a method
>>Subject: Re: SNA is not a method
>>
>>***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org *****
>>
>>Dear Barry,
>>
>>
>>
>>Knowing the legacy of your contributions I understand why you would like to
>>defend this position. But maybe we need to re-think this.
>>
>>
>>
>>What about calling 'Network Analysis' a paradigm that incorporates:
>>
>>'social network analysis' with
>>
>>'business network analysis',
>>
>>'actor-network theory', and other methods / approaches / methodologies for
>>network analysis.
>>
>>
>>
>>Can we go beyond interconnected human beings, to interconnected organisations
>>and business units, and even heterogeneous systems of interconnected people,
>>organisations, institutions, assets/resources, technological/cultural
>>artefacts... My social capital is not only my social contacts, and I hardly
>>could capitalise on all potential social contacts that I have through SOCNET
>>(for example).
>>
>>
>>
>>Emanuela Todeva
>>
>>University of Surrey, UK
>>
>>________________________________
>>
>>From: Social Networks Discussion Forum on behalf of Barry Wellman
>>Sent: Thu 05/01/2006 18:15
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: SNA is not a method
>>
>>
>>
>>***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org *****
>>
>>Dear Sergio Romero (and others),
>>
>>Your homework assignment is to write 100 times:
>>
>>"Social Network Analysis is not 'a method' but a paradigm.
>>A way of looking at the social world and analyzing it."
>>
>>To see it as only a method is to miss the whole point of SNA.
>>
>> Barry, INSNA founder
>> _____________________________________________________________________
>>
>> Barry Wellman Professor of Sociology NetLab Director
>> wellman at chass.utoronto.ca http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman
>>
>> Centre for Urban & Community Studies University of Toronto
>> 455 Spadina Avenue Toronto Canada M5S 2G8 fax:+1-416-978-7162
>> To network is to live; to live is to network
>> _____________________________________________________________________
>>
>>_____________________________________________________________________
>>
>>

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