III International Summer Scool "Theory and methods of Modeling in Network Analysis"

From June 29 to July 3, ANR-Lab held an International Summer School on the theory and methods of modeling in network analysis.

The purpose of the school was to provide students with a solid understanding of social network analysis (SNA) modeling. This was a second course in SNA and students were expected to have foundational knowledge of networks. Topics covered were designed to provide deeper understanding of statistical thinking for networks, and focus on P1, P2, P*/Visualization; longitudinal and co-evolutionary models; blockmodels; diffusion models; and special topics – personal network studies, affiliation networks, and bibliometrics/scientometrics.

In line with previous schools, TMSA-III contained three independent, but interconnected components:

1. Theoretical: network theory and theory of networks, and their role in nomological network of focal constructs of interest;
2. Methodological: methods of analysis and software programs used to analyze network data;
3. Applied: the theory and instruments learned in class are then used in individual and group work to design a research project in student’s own area of interest.

The school was conducted by the scientific supervisor of ANR-Lab Stanley Wasserman.

The school helped participants, who had a basic understanding of social network analysis, to use the integrated systems thinking approach to create theoretically driven, methodologically sound research projects. The ultimate outcome of the school was the completed project proposals for a study by the participants, which can later be completed as full-scale research projects.