Roles and Positions
Loosely speaking, structural equivalence refers to the extent to which two nodes are connected to the same others -- i.e., have the same social environments. It is often hypothesized that structurally equivalent nodes will be similar in other ways as well, such as in attitudes, behaviors or performance.
Topics
Graph automorphism
Profile similarity methods
blockmodeling methods
Readings
Lorrain, F. & White, H.C. 1971. Structural equivalence of individuals in social networks.Journal of Mathematical Sociology 1: 49-80. (just skim) [no electronic version available to UK]
Burt, R.S. 1976. Positions in networks. Social Forces 55: 93-122. [^pdf]
Breiger, R., Boorman, S. & Arabie, P. 1975. An algorithm for clustering relational data with applications to social network analysis and comparison with multidimensional scaling.Journal of Mathematical Psychology 12: 328-383. [^pdf]
White, H. C., S. A. Boorman, and R. L. Breiger. 1976. "Social Structure From Multiple Networks I." American Journal of Sociology81:730-780.[^pdf]
review the cohesion vs equivalence debate
Tutorials
Analyzing Social Networks.Equivalence
Hanneman & Riddle. Chap. 12
Hanneman & Riddle. Chap. 13
Everett. Position
Exercises
Handouts
Slides
Equivalence.pdf - 22 March, 2013
Reference
Wasserman and Faust, ch. 9, 10, 12
Methods
Breiger, R., Boorman, S. & Arabie, P. 1975. An algorithm for clustering relational data with applications to social network analysis and comparison with multidimensional scaling. Journal of Mathematical Psychology 12: 328-383. [^pdf]
Faust, Katherine and A. Kimball Romney. 1985. Does structure find structure?: A critique of Burt's use of distance as a measure of structural equivalence. Social Networks, 7:77 103
Concepts and Theory
DiMaggio and Powell. 1983. The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism ... American Sociological Review 48(2): 147-160. [pdf]
White, Harrison, S. Boorman, and Ronald Breiger 1976 "Social structure from multiple
networks: I. Blockmodels of roles and positions." American Journal of Sociology, 81:
730-780.
Boorman, S. and Harrison White 1976 "Social structure from multiple networks: II. Role
structures." American Journal of Sociology, 81: 1384-1446 [^pdf]
Everett, M.G., & Borgatti, S. P. 1994. Regular equivalence: General theory. Journal of Mathematical Sociology, 19(1): 29-52. [pdf]
Applications
Burt, R.S. & Talmud, I. 1993. Market niche. Social Networks. 15: 133-149
DiMaggio, P. 1986. Structural analysis of organizational fields: A blockmodel approach. Research in Organizational Behavior 8: 335-70.
Galaskiewicz, J. & Burt, R.S. 1991. Interorganizational contagion in corporate philanthropy. Administrative Science Quarterly 36: 88-105.
Gerlach, Michael L. 1992 "The Japanese corporate network: A blockmodel approach." Administrative Science Quarterly, 37: 105 139
Padgett, J. F. and C. K. Ansell. 1993. "Robust Action and the Rise of the Medici, 1400-1434." American Journal of Sociology 98:1259
Nancy J. Herman, “Conflict in the Church: A Social Network Analysis of an Anglican
Congregation.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 23 (1984): 60-74.
Paul DiMaggio, "Structural Analysis of Organizational Fields: A Blockmodel
Approach," pp. 335-370 in Barry M. Staw and L. L. Cummings (eds.), Research in
Organizational Behavior 8 (1986). Westport, CT: JAI Press.
Anheier, Helmut K., Jürgen Gerhards, and Frank P. Romo, "Forms of Capital and Social
Structure in Cultural Fields: Examination of Bourdieu's Social Topography." American
Journal of Sociology 100 (January 1995): 859-903.
Robert R. Faulkner, Music on Demand: Composers and Careers in the Hollywood Film
Industry (1983), pp. 185-99 and 218-21.
Katherine Giuffre, “Sandpiles of Opportunity: Success in the Art World.” Social Forces
77 (1999): 815-32.
Mario Diani, “Britain Re-Creates the Social Movement: Contentious (and Not-socontentious)
Networks in Glasgow,” unpublished (October 2002).
Michael L. Gerlach, "The Japanese Corporate Network: A Blockmodel Analysis,"
Administrative Science Quarterly 37 (March 1992): 105-139.