Dear colleagues,

Please consider submitting an abstract to the Sunbelt 2024 organized session "Big data and field research in the study of social networks".  Please find further information below.

link to conference webpage: https://sunbelt2024.com/

For any questions, please feel free to contact me or Nikolitsa!

Big data and field research in the study of social networks

One of the major promises of “big data” was the ability to understand how social networks emerge, operate, and shape human behavior on a much larger scale than previously possible. Researchers have used large-scale network data to generate new insights on topics as varied as network evolution (Kossinets and Watts 2006), well-being (Jaidka et al. 2020), and political misinformation (Guess, Nyhan, and Reifler 2020), among many others. But researchers have become increasingly cognizant of the limits of “big data” analyses, which may include sampling bias in the data, confounds in the algorithms needed to uncover patterns, and weak construct validity (boyd and Crawford 2012; Lazer et al. 2014). An important response has been to address the limits of the data themselves by employing mixed- or multi-methods approaches that capitalize on the strengths of traditional social science methods, such as surveys, experiments, or various qualitative methods (Bail et al. 2020; Gilbert and Karahalios 2009; Grigoropoulou and Small 2022; Scharkow et al. 2020).

This organized session aims to host paper presentations on research in social networks that combine different types of data and methods. Critical reviews discussing specific methodological problems in large-scale network data and how they can be addressed with field research are also welcome.      

-- 
Prof. Dr. Betina Hollstein
University of Bremen
Professor of Microsociology and Qualitative Methods

Research Data Center QUALISERVICE, head: https://www.qualiservice.org/en/
NEU - Interview zum FDZ Qualiservice: https://blog.bildungsserver.de/qualitative-forschungsdaten-sind-ein-schatz-der-gerade-erst-gehoben-wird/

SOCIUM - Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy
Dept. Methods Research/ Head
Dept. Life Course, Life Course Policy and Social Integration 

Mary-Somerville-Str. 9, R. 9.3090 , D - 28359 Bremen
tel +49 (0)421-218-58512 
e-mail: betina.hollstein@uni-bremen.de
http://www.socium.uni-bremen.de/about-the-socium/members/betina-hollstein/en/?
Sekr.: Patricia Tegeler-Winde, tel.: +49 (0)421-218-58638. E-Mail: p.tegeler-winde@uni-bremen.de 

Recent publications:
* Settersten, R.A., B. Hollstein, K.K. McElvaine (2024): ”Unlinked lives”: Elaboration of a concept and its significance for the life course. Advances in Life Course Research, Vol. 59, 100583 doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2023.100583
* Hollstein, B. (2024): Qualitative and Mixed Methods. In: J.McLevey, P. Carrington & J. Scott (Eds.): SAGE Handbook of Social Network Analysis, 2nd edition. Sage, 562-574.
* Hollstein, B. (2023): Personal Network Dynamics across the Life Course. A Relationship-related Structural Approach. Advances in Life Course Research. Vol 58, 100567. doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2023.100567
* Marsden, P.V. & B. Hollstein (2022): Advances and Innovations in Methods for Collecting Egocentric Network Data. Social Science Research 108, 102816. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2022.102816
* Hollstein, B. (2021): Promises and Pitfalls of Qualitative Longitudinal Research.  Longitudinal and Life Course Studies 12 (1), 7-17.  https://doi.org/10.1332/175795920X16040851984946 
* Hollstein, B. (2021): Georg Simmel’s Contribution to Social Network Research. In: M.L. Small, B.L. Perry, B. Pescosolido, & E. Smith (Eds.): Personal Networks: Classic Readings and New Directions in Ego-centric Analysis. New York: Cambridge University Press, 51-69. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108878296.003
* Hollstein, B., R. Greshoff, U. Schimank & A. Weiss (2021) (Eds.): Soziologie - Sociology in the German speaking world. Special Issue Soziologische Revue 2020. De Gruyter: Berlin. 557 pages. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110627275