Introduction to Network Analysis of Social and Digital Media Minitrack

Abstract

Social networks are representation of complex systems defined by the patterns of relationships among a system's components. Networks are created by information flows or other relations among entities through time and space. The goal of network analysis is to describe the structure of a higher-level system based on the pattern of linkages among a set of lower level nodes, and how this structure changes over time. It differs from traditional research by focusing on relationships rather than the attributes of individuals. The complex social networks that people create and manage are dynamic, multi-modal, and increasingly mediated by social and digital media.Network science has progressed in parallel with the development of social and digital media, computers and other information systems. This has provided social and communication network scientists with precise representations of information flows and advanced the state of the science. Additionally, the increased theoretical understanding and analytic representation of computer and information systems provides developers with a greater sense of how people and organizations utilize technology to manage resources embedded in their social and digital networks. The papers in this minitrack represent theoretical and analytic developments in social and digital media research. They focus on new media and information technology, or use new media data in the analysis. They cross disciplines and levels of analysis, using novel approaches to discover aspects of digital networks.