Week 1 - Do contexts make networks?
Feld, S. (1981) The focused organization of social ties
In this article, Feld argues that social networks are organized around "foci," or specific
individuals or groups with whom people have stronger ties and more frequent interactions.
These foci may be based on shared interests, goals, or identities, and they help to structure
the larger social network.
Feld proposes a model of network structure that emphasizes the importance of foci. In this
model, people have ties to multiple foci, and the foci themselves may be connected through
shared members. This creates a nested structure of social ties, with smaller foci embedded
within larger ones.
Feld also discusses the implications of this model for social behavior. He suggests that the
presence of foci in a network can lead to greater coordination and cooperation among
members, as well as a stronger sense of shared identity and purpose. However, he notes
that foci can also create conflicts and tensions within a network, particularly if different foci
have competing interests.
Overall, Feld's article provides a theoretical framework for understanding the role of foci in
social networks and their impact on social behavior.
1. Social networks are organized around "foci," or specific individuals or groups with
whom people have stronger ties and more frequent interactions. These foci help to
structure the larger social network.
2. Foci may be based on shared interests, goals, or identities, and people may have
ties to multiple foci. This creates a nested structure of social ties, with smaller foci
embedded within larger ones.
3. The presence of foci in a network can lead to greater coordination and cooperation
among members, as well as a stronger sense of shared identity and purpose.
However, foci can also create conflicts and tensions within a network, particularly if
different foci have competing interests.
4. The model of network structure proposed by Feld emphasizes the importance of
studying both individual-level ties and the larger structure of the network.
5. The concept of foci has important implications for understanding social behavior,
including how people make decisions, how information flows through a network, and
how social norms and values are transmitted.
,Drouhot, L. G. (2017). Reconsidering “community liberated”: How class and the
national context shape personal support networks.
In this article, Drouhot challenges the idea that personal support networks are "community
liberated," or free from the constraints of social class and national context. He argues that
both class and national context play important roles in shaping the composition and structure
of personal support networks.
Drouhot analyzes data from the International Social Survey Programme, which surveys
people in multiple countries about their personal networks. He finds that people from
different social classes have different types of network ties, with working-class individuals
more likely to have ties to kin and neighborhood members, and middle-class individuals
more likely to have ties to friends and colleagues. He suggests that these differences are
due to differences in socialization, social mobility, and cultural norms.
Drouhot also finds that national context affects personal support networks, with people in
different countries having different types of ties and network structures. He argues that this is
due to differences in social welfare policies, economic structures, and cultural norms.
Overall, Drouhot's article challenges the assumption that personal support networks are free
from the influence of social class and national context. He suggests that these factors are
important in shaping the composition and structure of networks, and that understanding
these factors is crucial for developing effective social policies and interventions.
1. Personal support networks are not "community liberated" and are influenced by
social class and the national context. Different social classes and national contexts
shape the composition and structure of personal support networks.
2. Working-class individuals are more likely to have ties to kin and neighborhood
members, while middle-class individuals are more likely to have ties to friends and
colleagues. These differences are related to socialization, social mobility, and cultural
norms.
3. National context also affects personal support networks, with people in different
countries having different types of ties and network structures. This is due to
differences in social welfare policies, economic structures, and cultural norms.
4. Understanding the influence of social class and national context on personal support
networks is important for developing effective social policies and interventions.
Policies should take into account the different needs and resources of people from
different social classes and national contexts.
5. Personal support networks are important sources of social support and can have
significant impacts on individuals' health and well-being. Improving social integration
and support networks for marginalized communities can help to promote greater
social equity and reduce health disparities.
, Martinovic, B., Van Tubergen, F. and Maas, I. (2009). Changes in immigrants’ social
integration during the stay in the host country: The case of non-western immigrants
in the Netherlands
In this article, the authors examine changes in social integration among non-Western
immigrants to the Netherlands over time. They use data from the Longitudinal Study of
Immigrants to the Netherlands, which surveyed immigrants from various non-Western
countries at two points in time, 1999 and 2003.
The authors focus on two dimensions of social integration: social contacts with natives and
participation in social organizations. They find that both dimensions of social integration
increase over time, with immigrants reporting more social contacts with natives and greater
participation in social organizations in 2003 than in 1999.
The authors also examine the factors that contribute to changes in social integration over
time. They find that language proficiency, education, and length of stay in the Netherlands all
have positive effects on social integration. They also find that having a partner from the host
country and being born in a country with a similar culture to the Netherlands have positive
effects on social integration.
Overall, Martinovic, Van Tubergen, and Maas' article provides insights into the dynamics of
social integration among non-Western immigrants to the Netherlands. They find that social
integration increases over time and that factors such as language proficiency and education
play important roles in this process. The authors suggest that these findings have important
implications for policies aimed at promoting immigrant integration.
1. The social integration of non-Western immigrants in the Netherlands improves over
time, but this process is influenced by individual and contextual factors such as
ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and social capital.
2. Ethnic homophily declines over time as immigrants acquire more social capital and
become more proficient in the host country language.
3. Social support from family and friends is important for immigrants' social integration,
but they increasingly rely on social ties outside of their ethnic group over time.
4. Immigrants' social integration can have significant impacts on their well-being and
mental health.
5. Policies and programs that promote social integration and support for immigrants,
such as language classes, job training, and social networks, can have positive
impacts on immigrants' well-being and can help to reduce social disparities.
