Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the release of a special issue of Advances in Life Course Research, Networked Lives: Probing the Influence of Social Networks on the Life Course.”

The special issue connects the fields of life course and social network research, stimulates productive dialog between them, and illustrates the power of this intersection for advancing theories, concepts, methods, and data.

Nine articles by renowned authors of both fields address cutting edge questions on mechanisms of personal network dynamics and the impact of relationships and networks in different phases of the life course. Topics include status attainment, health and well-being, homogeneity in friendships, internet use and social connectedness and the significance of unlinked lives. Two commentaries by Marlis Buchmann and Peter V. Marsden complete the issue with reflections on current challenges and promising directions.

A selection of articles, asterisked below*, are currently open or full-text access.

All best wishes,

Betina, Rick, Dario and Mattia, Editors

TABLE OF CONTENTS

“Networked Lives: Probing the Influence of Social Networks on the Life Course”
Special Issue of Advances in Life Course Research
Editors: Betina Hollstein, Richard. A. Settersten, Jr., Dario Spini & Mattia Vacchiano

*
=open or currently full-text access

 Introduction

*Networked Lives: Probing the influence of social networks on the life course
Mattia Vacchiano, Betina Hollstein, Richard A. Settersten, Jr. & Dario Spini

Research articles

*”Unlinked lives”: Elaboration of a concept and its significance for the life course
Richard A. Settersten Jr., Betina Hollstein & Kara McElvaine

*
Personal network dynamics across the life course: A relationship-related structural approach
Betina Hollstein

Interconnected social convoys: Understanding health and well-being through linked personal networks
Laura M. Koehly & Jasmine A. Manalel

*Multilevel networks and status attainment
Mattia Vacchiano, Emmanuel Lazega & Dario Spini

When life happens: A multidimensional approach to studying the effects of major life events on relationship change
Chang Z. Lin & Alexandra Marin

Linked lives and convoys of social relations

Noah J. Webster, Toni C. Antonucci & Kristine J. Ajrouch

Life course transitions and changes in network ties among younger and older adults
Jordan Weiss, Leora Lawton & Claude S. Fischer

*“
Birds of a feather” – forever? Homogeneity in adult friendship networks through the life course
Beate Völker

Internet use and cohort change in social connectedness among older adults

Shannon Ang

Commentaries

*Bridging social network and life course research: Unlocking the analytical potential
Marlis Buchmann

On integrating social network and life course research

Peter V. Marsden