While some social scientists may argue that we have always been networked, the increased visibility of networks today across economic, political, and social domains can hardly be disputed. Social networks fundamentally shape our lives and social network analysis has become a vibrant, interdisciplinary field of research. In The Oxford Handbook of Social Networks, Ryan Light and James Moody have gathered forty leading scholars in sociology, archaeology, economics, statistics, and information science, among others, to provide an overview of the theory, methods, and contributions in the field of social networks. Each of the thirty-three chapters in this Handbook moves through the basics of social network analysis aimed at those seeking an introduction to advanced and novel approaches to modeling social networks statistically. They cover both a succinct background to, and future directions for, distinctive approaches to analyzing social networks. The first section of the volume consists of theoretical and methodological approaches to social networks, such as visualization and network analysis, statistical approaches to networks, and network dynamics. Chapters in the second section outline how network perspectives have contributed substantively across numerous fields, including public health, political analysis, and organizational studies. Despite the rapid spread of interest in social network analysis, few volumes capture the state-of-the-art theory, methods, and substantive contributions featured in this volume. This Handbook therefore offers a valuable resource for graduate students and faculty new to networks looking to learn new approaches, scholars interested in an overview of the field, and network analysts looking to expand their skills or substantive areas of research.

This book develops a framework for thinking through such spatially-targeted policies and assessing their social value, while presenting new evidence on key empirical issues.

Statistics for the Social Sciences: Moving Toward an Integrated Approach bridges the educational gap between undergraduate and graduate-level courses in social sciences statistics, providing students with a single, focused way to think about statistics, ensuring they have a firm grasp of fundamental knowledge, and introducing advanced topics and concepts. The book approaches the subject matter from a conceptual and practical standpoint. It teaches students how to read and understand empirical research articles and then effectively design and analyze their own studies. Over the course of 12 chapters, students learn about descriptive statistics, null hypothesis significance testing, preparatory data analysis, means comparison procedures, multiple independent group means, correlation, and simple regression. Specific sections explore multiple regression and categorical variables in regression. The final chapters focus on testing the moderation hypothesis. Throughout, students are provided with data analysis examples with annotated output to build practical knowledge, as well as discussion questions and exercises to foster critical thinking and direct application. Innovative and highly accessible, Statistics for the Social Sciences is well suited for upper-level undergraduate or first-year graduate level courses in social sciences statistics.

Revealing Our Social World: Fundamentals of Social Research explores the myriad reasons social scientists conduct research and how published findings have the power to inform laws and social policies, influence therapeutic practices, and develop social theory. The text underscores the importance of quality research and the use of the scientific method to avoid the pitfalls of casual observation. The text features five dedicated sections. Section I introduces foundational information about social research, defining its components, outlining the research process, speaking to ethical considerations, and demonstrating the connections between paradigms, social theory, and methods. In Section II, students learn the preparatory steps to take before conducting research in the field. Dedicated chapters cover probability sampling and sample design and qualitative research. Sections III and IV focus on quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis, respectively. The final section of the text explores big data, machine learning, audio, image, video, and social media analytics, and more. Providing students with a comprehensive and valuable introduction, Revealing Our Social World is an excellent resource for courses in social research.

The remarkable evolution of econophysics research has brought the deep synthesis of ideas derived from economics and physicsto subjects as diverse as education, banking, finance, and the administration of large institutions. The original papers in this collection present a broad summary of these advances, written by interdisciplinary specialists. Included are studies on subjects in the development of econophysics; on the perspectives offered by econophysics on large problems in economics and finance, including the 2008-9 financial crisis; and on higher education and group decision making. The introductions and insights they provide will benefit everyone interested in applications of this new transdisciplinary science.
Ten papers present an updated version of the origins, issues, and applications of econophysics Economics and finance chapters consider lessons learned from the 2008-9 financial crisis Sociophysics chapters propose new thinking on educational reforms and group decision making"

This book addresses the conceptualization and practice of Indigenous research methodologies especially in Sami and North European academic contexts. It examines the meaning of Sami research and research methodologies, practical levels of doing Indigenous research today in different contexts, as well as global debates in Indigenous research. The contributors present place-specific and relational Sami research approaches as well as reciprocal methodological choices in Indigenous research in North-South relationships. This edited volume is a result of a research collaboration in four countries where Sami people live. By taking the readers to diverse local discussions, the collection emphasizes communal responsibility and care as a key in doing Indigenous research. Contributors are: Rauni AEarela-Vihriala, Hanna Guttorm, Lea Kantonen, Pigga Keskitalo, Ilona Kivinen, Britt Kramvig, Petter Morottaja, Eljas Niskanen, Torjer Olsen, Marja-Liisa Olthuis, Hanna Outakoski, Attila Paksi, Jelena Porsanger, Aili Pyhala, Rauna Rahko-Ravantti, Torkel Rasmussen, Erika Katjaana Sarivaara, Irja Seurujarvi-Kari, Trond Trosterud and Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen.

The Handbook on Teaching Social Issues, 2nd edition, provides teachers and teacher educators with a comprehensive guide to teaching social issues in the classroom. This second edition re-frames the teaching of social issues with a dedicated emphasis on issues of social justice. It raises the potential for a new and stronger focus on social issues instruction in schools. Contributors include many of the leading experts in the field of social studies education. Issues-centered social studies is an approach to teaching history, government, geography, economics and other subject related courses through a focus on persistent social issues. The emphasis is on problematic questions that need to be addressed and investigated in-depth to increase social understanding, active participation, and social progress. Questions or issues may address problems of the past, present, or future, and involve disagreement over facts, definitions, values, and beliefs arising in the study of any of the social studies disciplines, or other aspects of human affairs. The authors and editor believe that this approach should be at the heart of social studies instruction in schools.

This book addresses the conceptualization and practice of Indigenous research methodologies especially in Sami and North European academic contexts. It examines the meaning of Sami research and research methodologies, practical levels of doing Indigenous research today in different contexts, as well as global debates in Indigenous research. The contributors present place-specific and relational Sami research approaches as well as reciprocal methodological choices in Indigenous research in North-South relationships. This edited volume is a result of a research collaboration in four countries where Sami people live. By taking the readers to diverse local discussions, the collection emphasizes communal responsibility and care as a key in doing Indigenous research. Contributors are: Rauni AEarela-Vihriala, Hanna Guttorm, Lea Kantonen, Pigga Keskitalo, Ilona Kivinen, Britt Kramvig, Petter Morottaja, Eljas Niskanen, Torjer Olsen, Marja-Liisa Olthuis, Hanna Outakoski, Attila Paksi, Jelena Porsanger, Aili Pyhala, Rauna Rahko-Ravantti, Torkel Rasmussen, Erika Katjaana Sarivaara, Irja Seurujarvi-Kari, Trond Trosterud and Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen.

While there are many ways to collect information, students have trouble understanding how to employ various research methods effectively, since everyone learns and processes information differently. Instructing students on successfully using research methods is a continual challenge in education. The Handbook of Research on Students' Research Competence in Modern Educational Contexts is a scholarly resource that examines the critical analysis of the development of research competence in students. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics, such as educational technologies, cognitive interest, and research capacity, this book is geared towards academicians, researchers, and students seeking current research on the development of research competence.

Decentering Comparative Analysis in a Globalizing World aims to go beyond the traditional criticism in comparative analysis. It wants to shed new light on the question of comparing as a form of categorizing. In this perspective, three relevant dimensions to question the naturalized categories of comparison are mobilized: ethnocentrism, the nation, and academic disciplines. Based on original empirical work, the volume proposes to use comparative categories by mixing and shifting the analytical perspectives. It brings together contributions that come to terms with the historicity of the comparative method in the social sciences. It eventually deals with the key issue of comparability of various cases, in the enlarged context of a globalizing world. Contributors are: Anna Amelina, Camille Boullier, Catherine Cavalin, Serge Ebersold, Andreas Eckert, Mouhamedoune Abdoulaye Fall, Isabel Georges, Olivier Giraud, Aissa Kadri, Wiebke Keim, Michel Lallement, Marie Mercat-Bruns, Luis Felipe Murillo, Kiran Klaus Patel, Lea Renard, Ferruccio Ricciardi, Paul-Andre Rosental, Pablo Salazar-Jaramillo, Stephanie Tawa-Lama, Nikola Tietze, Tania Toffanin, Michel Vincent and Benedicte Zimmermann.

‘Mr Watson, come here, I want to see you.’

It’s been almost 150 years since Alexander Graham Bell said these immortal words on the first ever phone call, to his assistant in the next room. Between 10 March 1876 and now, the world has changed beyond recognition. And telecommunications, which has played a fundamental role in this change, has itself evolved into an industry that was the sole preserve of science fiction.

When the world’s first modern mobile telephone network was launched in 1979, there were just over 300 million telephones. Today, there are more than eight billion, most of which are mobile. Most people in most countries can now contact each other in a matter of seconds. Soon we’ll all be connected, to each other, and to complex computer networks that provide us with instant information, but also observe and record our actions. No other phenomenon touches so many of us, so directly, each and every day of our lives.

This book describes how this transformation came about. It considers the technologies that underpin telecommunications – microcircuits, fibre-optics and satellites – and touches on financial aspects of the industry: privatisations, mergers and takeovers that have helped shape the $2-trillion telecom market. But for the most part, it’s a story about us and our need to communicate.

The number of practice-based or practice-led doctorate programs continues to grow across the U.S. Doctoral students who seek a terminal practitioner doctorate typically conduct practice-based research within the dissertation research used as the culmination of the degree program. These terminally degreed graduates return to educational practice to improve practice, impact innovation, and solve the complex problems of practice through research-based decision making. Practice-Based and Practice-Led Research for Dissertation Development provides the most current research, innovation, and insights into practice-based research conducted within U.S. practitioner doctorate programs across fields that include management, education, computer science, health sciences, and social and behavioral sciences. The book illustrates the latest uses of practitioner research and highlights current findings for the dissemination and use of practice-based and practice-led research within these settings. Covering topics that include self-inquiry methods, action research, and high-impact writing support, this book is an ideal reference source for doctoral scholars, doctoral research supervisors, faculty, program deans, higher education leadership, and doctorate program developers.

Advances in students' educational experiences are regularly studied, documented, and improved upon. However, to provide the best foundation for students, professional educators must also continue their own education in order to perfect their teaching abilities. Personalized Professional Learning for Educators: Emerging Research and Opportunities is an advanced scholarly reference source that discusses the most effective methods and techniques that can provide educators with a strong path for continuing their education. Featuring insights on relevant topics such as digital learning, educational coaching, personalized learning, and pedagogical practices, this publication is an ideal resource for professional educators, students, and researchers interested in upcoming trends in teacher education.

The accounts of women navigating pregnancy in a post-conflict setting are characterized by widespread poverty, weak infrastructure, and inadequate health services. With a focus on a remote rural agrarian community in northern Uganda, Global Health and the Village brings the complex local and transnational factors governing women's access to safe maternity care into view. In examining local cultural, social, economic, and health system factors shaping maternity care and birth, Rudrum also analyzes the encounter between ambitious global health goals and the local realities. Interrogating how culture and technical problems are framed in international health interventions, Rudrum reveals that the objectifying and colonizing premises on which interventions are based often result in the negative consequences in local healthcare.