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" 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

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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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