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***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.sfu.ca/~insna/ ***** A number of studies--I think of them as being solidly at the intersection of network analysis and community sociology--treat this as a question of localism. Much research assessed the positive case for spatial proximity (through selection effects of neighborhoods, propinquity in social contact, and more), rather than greater distance as a social barrier. And the findings cut in several directions, as best I can tell: certain subgroups probably continue to have quite spatially embedded ties (so their spatial and personal communities overlap and co-embed quite a bit, see Barry's East Yorkers' research and a nifty article by Yancey et al, Racial and Ethnic Studies journal 1985, also Kadushin and Jones on networks in NYC neighborhoods). Most folks close personal ties are not spatially proximate (now a golden rule in this networks biz), but this seems to be less true for the poor, less true again for the racial minority poor--and downright wrong for young people in that category cuz space effects vary across the life course, adolescents more likely to have strong neighborhood ties). I review much of this in "Brown Kids in White Suburbs" (on my website), cuz much research on social ties didn't help me figure out the lives of poor minority youth who relocated across space. Space matters less when bridging social categories, so black and white neighbors can be quite isolated from each others' lives (though not economic or political fortunes) and probably have a harder time assembling "collective efficiacy" that depends not only on ties but proximate trust and expectations that others will cooperate in common endeavours. That insight, that spatial proximity does not a social neighbor make, goes back to Gans and mid-century neighboring studies, many of them on the urban/suburbanism-as-ways-of-life debate. And the twists go on, tapping homophily, life stage effects and other factors that are "not" space but mediate its effects on social relations. I'm looking at the distance and separateness (segregation) as barriers factors in a new Social Science Research Network working paper. It mines quant and qualitative work but offers (only) large-scale surveys to extend what we know on this thicket of questions. Some of the stats still in progress, but exchange and comments most welcome (put this in your browser: "Bridging Networks, Social Capital, and Racial Segregation in America"). Love to hear what else you turn up. -- Xav Xavier de Souza Briggs Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Fellow MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 9-541 Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A. (voice) 617.253.7956 (fax) 258.8594 "I am not content with a place to sleep. What I want is a thousand places to dream." (Miro') ___________________________________________ [log in to unmask] To:[log in to unmask] CC: Subject:Re: Geographical distances and socail ties ***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.sfu.ca/~insna/ ***** Hi Peter, Check this paper out for a very interesting approach to combining networks and geography. It also has some potentially useful references: Sorenson, O. & Stuart, T. 2001 Syndication Networks and the Spatial Distribution of Venture Capital Investments. American Journal of Sociology, 106(6): 1546-1588. Andrew -----Original Message----- From: Peter Hedström [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Sun 3/9/2003 7:16 AM To: [log in to unmask] Cc: Subject: Geographical distances and socail ties ***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.sfu.ca/~insna/ ***** Hello. Many of us routinely assume that geographical distances and social ties are closely linked to one another in the sense that the greater the distance is between two actors the lower the probability will be that they are tied to one another through a friendship or an acquaintance tie. This seems to be a plausible assumption (particularly for young people), but I must admit that I do not know of many reliable empirical studies addressing this question. As I am currently writing about this I would greatly appreciate any suggestions on where to look. Best, Peter ______________________________________________ Department of Sociology Stockholm University 106 91 Stockholm Sweden Phone: + 46 - 8 - 163128 Mobile: + 46 - 708 - 163128 _____________________________________________________________________ SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social network researchers (http://www.sfu.ca/~insna/). To unsubscribe, send an email message to [log in to unmask] containing the line UNSUBSCRIBE SOCNET in the body of the message. _____________________________________________________________________ SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social network researchers (http://www.sfu.ca/~insna/). To unsubscribe, send an email message to [log in to unmask] containing the line UNSUBSCRIBE SOCNET in the body of the message. _____________________________________________________________________ SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social network researchers (http://www.sfu.ca/~insna/). To unsubscribe, send an email message to [log in to unmask] containing the line UNSUBSCRIBE SOCNET in the body of the message.