Applications of social network analysis

In recent years Social Network Analysis (SNA) has become an established research approach in almost every scientific discipline, thereby attracting a remarkable degree of public attention. On the one hand this can be seen as a reflection of a shift in the theoretical and methodological approach in research. On the other hand the prominence of SNA in a variety of fields such as academia, politics, business and our daily lives also points towards a change of the objects under investigation. Many elements of our society are now increasingly embedded into network structures in which actors depend on each other and the structural context of their actions. This volume provides an excellent overview of the broad range of research in which SNA can be fruitfully applied.