Description:
The seminal work of Robert Putnam on the decline of social capital in the US has generated agrowing multidisciplinary literature. Social capital can come in many forms (trust, civicengagement, community attachment, and social networks) and has become one of the mostcontested concepts in social sciences. What makes social capital unique is its relationalnature. Social network analysis provides a critical lens and powerful tools to understand thecauses and consequences of social capital. Social network analysis focuses on howconnections and structural positions affect fundamental issues such as cognition, creativity,cultural capital, social status, information flow, political coalition, interlocking directorates,social movement and social change. Scholars and pundits have been debating on theimplications of new communication technologies and digital media for network structure andsocial capital at the individual and community levels.
This course is designed to balance theories, methods, and applications, drawing on literaturesfrom sociology, communication, media studies, and management. It begins with keyconcepts and theories of social capital and social networks. In the second part, we explore therelational and structural embeddedness of actors, communities, and organizations. In the third part, we focus on how to collect network data and do network analysis.
Grading Policy:Grades are earned based on performance. Grades would not be changed on the basis of need or effort. The final grade uses a plus/minus system according to the followingscale:
93-100A90-92 A-87-89 B+83-86 B80-82 B-77-79C+73-76 C70-72 C-67-69 D+63-66 D60-62 D-59 or lower F
The final grade will be based on the following distribution (tentative):Overview and TimelineDeadlineClass Participation (30)Class Presentation (15)ongoingClass Participation (15)ongoingFinal Project (70)Project Proposal (10)Mar 22Project Presentation (20)Apr 26/May 3Final Paper (40)May 10
Students are expected to take an active role. To fully understand and participate in the in-classdiscussions, it is necessary to complete the readings on time. Due to the class size, teamwork for the class presentation and the final project are strongly encouraged. However, the maximum sizeof a team is limited to 3 students to assure positive team dynamics. If you decide to form a team,you will be graded as a team for the class presentation and the final project. All other assignments are individual work and graded accordingly.
Class Presentation
•
Each student/group must “claim” a topic and get the instructor’s approval on a first comefirst served basis. After consultation with the instructor, each student/group will lead one2
class discussion. Note weeks 12/13 are reserved for lectures and weeks 14/15 for final project presentation. That is, you have to choose from one of the 10 weeks left.
•
The student/group should distribute discussion questions by Fridays 9 am for class thecoming Wed by posting the questions on blackboard.
•
The student/group should contact the instructor about how the readings are divided amongteam members by Friday 9 am for class the coming Wed.
•
The student/group is expected to present on the weekly reading. However, the presentationcan also include any material relevant to the topic of the weekly reading.
•
A formal PowerPoint presentation is required. Please post your presentation on blackboard toshare with your peers and instructor by Tuesdays 9 am.
•
The student/group will lead the class discussion, based on the questions distributed to theclass and reactions from the class.
Class Participation
•
Reaction paper (10%).
Each student is required to post a reaction paper on the weeklyreading on blackboard by Wed, 9 am. Please post on time so that the instructor and thestudent/group leading the class meeting would have enough time to integrate your reaction totheir presentations. Each reaction paper will be given 1 point and a total of 10 reaction papers are expected. Late posting receives no points.
•
Participation
•
In-class discussion (4%).
Each student is expected to actively participate in the classdiscussion. You are welcome to bring in an article, image, chart/graph, screen capture,short video (less than three minutes), or any other relevant object.
•
Meeting with the course instructor F2F (1%).
Each student is expected to meet thecourse instructor in person for self introduction within the first two weeks of thesemester.
•
Attendance:
Missing class more than
THREE
times without proper justification isconsidered as drop out.
The Final Project
Project Proposal (5 pages):
The research proposal should lay out the research topic and itsrelevance/significance. Students will receive reviews from the instructor to further developand improve their work.
Final Project Presentation:
As part of pre-professional training, all students are required to present the final project to the class. Students are encouraged to use multimedia to present.Each student/team will give a 15-minute presentation on the term project, including Q&A
.
The presentation should be posted on a social media site open to the public such as youtube,3
Academia © 2013
Social Capital and Social Networksmore
by
wenhong chen
40
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Social Capital and Social NetworksTheories, Issues and Methods
(Graduate Course)RTF 380G / 08490 || SOC 396P / 49795
Wenhong Chen, PhD
Email:
wenhong_chen@mail.utexas.eduO: 512-471-4952M:512-917-6317F: 512-471-4077Office hours: Tuesday 9am-12pm or by appointment, CMA 6.136Venue: Thu 9:30-12:30, CMA A3.130
Course Description
The seminal work of Robert Putnam on the decline of social capital in the US has generated agrowing multidisciplinary literature. Social capital can come in many forms (trust, civicengagement, community attachment, and social networks) and has become one of the mostcontested concepts in social sciences. What makes social capital unique is its relationalnature. Social network analysis provides a critical lens and powerful tools to understand thecauses and consequences of social capital. Social network analysis focuses on howconnections and structural positions affect fundamental issues such as cognition, creativity,cultural capital, social status, information flow, political coalition, interlocking directorates,social movement and social change. Scholars and pundits have been debating on theimplications of new communication technologies and digital media for network structure andsocial capital at the individual and community levels.This course is designed to balance theories, methods, and applications, drawing on literaturesfrom sociology, communication, media studies, and management. It begins with keyconcepts and theories of social capital and social networks. In the second part, we explore therelational and structural embeddedness of actors, communities, and organizations. In the third part, we focus on how to collect network data and do network analysis.1
Grading Policy:Grades are earned based on performance. Grades would not be changed on the basis of need or effort. The final grade uses a plus/minus system according to the followingscale:
93-100A90-92 A-87-89 B+83-86 B80-82 B-77-79C+73-76 C70-72 C-67-69 D+63-66 D60-62 D-59 or lower F
The final grade will be based on the following distribution (tentative):Overview and TimelineDeadlineClass Participation (30)Class Presentation (15)ongoingClass Participation (15)ongoingFinal Project (70)Project Proposal (10)Mar 22Project Presentation (20)Apr 26/May 3Final Paper (40)May 10
Students are expected to take an active role. To fully understand and participate in the in-classdiscussions, it is necessary to complete the readings on time. Due to the class size, teamwork for the class presentation and the final project are strongly encouraged. However, the maximum sizeof a team is limited to 3 students to assure positive team dynamics. If you decide to form a team,you will be graded as a team for the class presentation and the final project. All other assignments are individual work and graded accordingly.
Class Presentation
•
Each student/group must “claim” a topic and get the instructor’s approval on a first comefirst served basis. After consultation with the instructor, each student/group will lead one2
class discussion. Note weeks 12/13 are reserved for lectures and weeks 14/15 for final project presentation. That is, you have to choose from one of the 10 weeks left.
•
The student/group should distribute discussion questions by Fridays 9 am for class thecoming Wed by posting the questions on blackboard.
•
The student/group should contact the instructor about how the readings are divided amongteam members by Friday 9 am for class the coming Wed.
•
The student/group is expected to present on the weekly reading. However, the presentationcan also include any material relevant to the topic of the weekly reading.
•
A formal PowerPoint presentation is required. Please post your presentation on blackboard toshare with your peers and instructor by Tuesdays 9 am.
•
The student/group will lead the class discussion, based on the questions distributed to theclass and reactions from the class.
Class Participation
•
Reaction paper (10%).
Each student is required to post a reaction paper on the weeklyreading on blackboard by Wed, 9 am. Please post on time so that the instructor and thestudent/group leading the class meeting would have enough time to integrate your reaction totheir presentations. Each reaction paper will be given 1 point and a total of 10 reaction papers are expected. Late posting receives no points.
•
Participation
•
In-class discussion (4%).
Each student is expected to actively participate in the classdiscussion. You are welcome to bring in an article, image, chart/graph, screen capture,short video (less than three minutes), or any other relevant object.
•
Meeting with the course instructor F2F (1%).
Each student is expected to meet thecourse instructor in person for self introduction within the first two weeks of thesemester.
•
Attendance:
Missing class more than
THREE
times without proper justification isconsidered as drop out.
The Final Project
Project Proposal (5 pages):
The research proposal should lay out the research topic and itsrelevance/significance. Students will receive reviews from the instructor to further developand improve their work.
Final Project Presentation:
As part of pre-professional training, all students are required to present the final project to the class. Students are encouraged to use multimedia to present.Each student/team will give a 15-minute presentation on the term project, including Q&A
.
The presentation should be posted on a social media site open to the public such as youtube,3
Academia © 2013
