Spatial Social Network Analysis Research and Education

Keywords: Social Networks, SSNs, Spatial Networks
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Saturday
Session Start / End Time: 2/26/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/26/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 45

Abstract

A social network can be defined as a link-node structure that represents individuals or organizations, and the relationships between these entities. Social network analysis is a key research method in the social sciences and humanities and can be enhanced with GIS technologies. In this talk, I will describe prospects and initiatives for leveraging GIS to analyze spatial social network (SSN) data. We will focus on small datasets that tell 'stories', so that quantitative research findings can be interpreted by experts and domain specialists. This talk will describe the development of new interactive visualization tools for exploratory SSN data analysis, a repository of available SSN data, and of new spatial statistics for sensemaking of these structures. The goal of this program is to facilitate and support the discovery of geographic mechanisms associated with relationships, and uncover the system-wide 'rules' that govern spatial connections. With this new information, we can encourage new relationships that may not have occurred by happenstance, define and overcome spatial barriers to connections, and critically examine the value systems inherent to these networks. This program will focus on education and outreach through a united platform for tools, tutorials, and data for a community of interdisciplinary researchers.