[Katherine Giuffre]Communities and Networks Using Social Network Analysis to Rethink Urban and Community Studies(pdf){Zzzzz}

Review
′Katherine Giuffre reveals the deep underlying relational commonalities of such diverse contexts as small town life at the end of Weimar, the Salem witch–frenzy, Boston′s East End, and the rise of Apple in Silicon Valley with richly textured description carried by elegantly clear prose that makes reading Communities and Networks both incredibly informative and delightful.′ Peter Bearman, Columbia University ′If you are looking for a compelling introduction to basic concepts and methods of social network modeling that will expand your imagination and help you become a more astute analyst of society and culture, then this is the book for you. Katherine Giuffre writes with insight and verve.′ Ronald Breiger, University of Arizona ′Forty years ago, people thought of community as a neighborhood. Now social networks have busted the boundaries of communities. They are far–flung and much more than village–like solidarities. The Internet and Mobile Revolutions have pushed these processes even further: community is now in our pocket and on our screens. Communities have become networks; networks have become communities. Katherine Giuffre tells this story well, and supplies solid evidence to clinch the tale.′ Barry Wellman, University of Toronto

Product Description

In Communities and Networks, Katherine Giuffre takes the science of social network analysis and applies it to key issues of living in communities, especially in urban areas, exploring questions such as: How do communities shape our lives and identities? How do they foster either conformity or innovation? What holds communities together and what happens when they fragment or fall apart? How is community life changing in response to technological advances?

Refreshingly accessible and built on fascinating case examples, this unique book provides not only the theoretical grounding necessary to understand how and why the burgeoning area of social network analysis can be useful in studying communities, but also clear technical explanations of the tools of network analysis and how to gather and analyze real-world network data. Network analysis allows us to see community life in a new perspective, with sometimes surprising results and insights, and this book enables readers to gain a deeper understanding of social life and the relationships that build (and break) communities.
This engaging text will be an exciting new resource for upper-level undergraduate and beginning graduate students in a wide range of courses including social network analysis, community studies, urban studies, organizational studies, and quantitative methods.

Publisher: Polity; 1 edition (12 April 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00CD6VQFC

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Excellent introduction to SNA for the non-technical reader 10 September 2013
By Valdis Krebs -
There are several interesting and useful introductions to social network analysis. This one is for the non-technical reader -- many great stories and examples. What is especially powerful in this book are explanations of various historical events from the network structure perspective -- X happened to Y because of network structure Z.

This book will be more interesting to those interested in community, political and neighborhood networks. Business readers will learn from this book, but not find many cogent examples, except for a few about Apple.

Many academic authors just focus on there own research, and pay mere lip service to others. Not Here! The author picked the top social network scholars to reference/cite/quote in the many interesting examples.

Does not read like a typical academic textbook -- much more interesting -- yet could be used for undergraduates. Will show how interesting and useful social science can be!