Readers of this book probably already realize that both popular attention to social networks and the systematic study of networks have exploded in the past decade or so. What might be less apparent is the historical depth and substantive breadth of the network perspective. Tracking down the very first scholarly use of the word “network” is much like locating the first living creature on earth—it had to be there somewhere, but once life (or the study of networks, for that matter) emerged, expansion and diversity took over and, in turn, provided the impetus for increasing diversity. The study of networks has followed a similar trajectory of diversification. As a maturing arena of inquiry, the field of networks has expanded from a somewhat arcane branch of mathematics (graph theory) and a relatively focused structural approach in the social sciences (sociometry and its descendants) to a powerful perspective for studying relational systems quite generally. Applications currently extend into essentially all domains of investigation: social structure and process, biological systems, formal organizations, computer networks, physical connections, semantic structures, genetic relations, neuronal networks, epidemiology of disease spread, diffusion of rumors, scientific knowledge networks, industrial collaborations, and international relations, to name a few. Despite this substantive diversity, researchers adopting a network perspective share a common conviction regarding the important consequences of interdependencies among units within their particular domains of interest. But beyond the focus on relations, the sheer omnivorousness of the network perspective means that it can, and does, admit a wide variety of applications.
Ian A. McCulloh, Helen L. Armstrong, and Anthony N. Johnson's book “Social Network Analysis with Applications” exemplifies the extraordinary potential of the network perspective with its specific focus on application of networks to organizational systems. In a crowded field of recent network books, McCulloh, Armstrong, and Johnson's stands out in providing an accessible introduction to network analysis, including substantive examples and interpretations grounded in organizational theories. Its practical applications to empirical data along with step-by-step instructions for analyzing networks using the Organizational Analyzer (ORA) software make it especially appropriate for newcomers to the study of networks.
One of the hallmarks of a maturing field is the translation of its core concepts and techniques into language that is readily accessible to newcomers and to practitioners who are primarily concerned with actionable results. McCulloh, Armstrong, and Johnson succeed admirably in that regard by drawing on their extensive combined experience teaching networks to soldiers, police officers, industry professionals, and both undergraduate and graduate students. Yet, Social Network Analysis with Applications insists on maintaining the formal rigor required for serious network analysis and does not shy away from math and equations when necessary to convey a concept. The book's unifying theoretical perspective and interpretative examples center on organizational risk and intervention. This focus draws attention to the consequences of particular organizational forms and individual positions and leads to consideration of how network actions and interventions might affect desirable or undesirable outcomes. This focus will surely provoke readers to consider the vast potential for applying network analysis in real-world settings.
I invite you to explore this book, to learn from it, and to use its many insightful examples and analytical approaches to expand your network imagination!
KATHERINE FAUST
Department of Sociology and Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences
University of California, Irvine