INR 4931: Political Network Analysis

Syllabus here.

Description: Networks are ubiquitous in politics. Countries are linked in trade and alliance networks. Legislators are tied in co-sponsorship networks. Rebel groups are connected in information networks. In this class, we will not only study the theory underlying these networks, but we will also analyze them. In so doing, we will learn to apply the multi-disciplinary field of network analysis to important political science applications.

This course is an introduction to network analysis in political science. There are no formal prerequisites; we will start with the basics, but some background in data analysis will be helpful. Network analysis is a relatively new field, so you will need to be ready and willing to learn some new concepts that initially seem far afield from what you’ve studied in previous political science classes. By the end of the semester, you will be able to analyze and interpret interdependent phenomena using these concepts and techniques.

We will have two class meetings per week. The first meeting will cover a conceptual topic. In the second meeting, you will get hands-on experience applying that topic to real-world data.