Abstract
Dynamic social networks, a key concept in modern social science research, are beginning to play a major role in understanding the ways in which individuals and communities respond to disasters. The authors of this paper review the relevant theory and research regarding how crises cause change in social networks, and how those changes may or may not facilitate recovery, as a function of the kinds of changes that occur. It applies the In/Out/Seeker/Provider (IOSP) framework to identify categories in which we might study disasters and the impact both on the networks and the impacts to the networks. This paper details options for applying social network analysis to research of both pre- and post-disaster settings and concludes by framing a research agenda for the future study of the dynamics of network change following a disaster.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banks, D., & Carley, K. (1996). Models for network evolution. Journal of Mathematical Sociology, 21, 173–196.
Bearman, P., Moody, J., & Stovel, K. (2004). Chains of affection: The structure of adolescent romantic and sexual networks. American Journal of Sociology, 110, 44–91.
Burt, R. S. (1992). Structural holes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Burt, R. S. (1997). The contingent value of social capital. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(2), 339–368.
Cai, D., Tao, L., & McLaughlin, D. (2004). An embedded network approach for scale-up of fluctuation-driven systems with preservation of spike information. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101, 14288–14293.
Chatters, L. M., Taylor, R. J., & Neighbors, H. W. (1989). Size of informal helper network mobilized during a serious personal problem among black Americans. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 51, 667–676.
Coleman, J. S. (1990). Foundations of social theory. Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Comfort, L. K., & Haase, T. W. (2006). Communication, coherence, and collective action. Public Works Management & Policy, 10(4), 328–343.
Contractor, N., & Monge, P. (2002). Managing knowledge networks. Management Communications Quarterly, 16, 249–258.
Contractor, N., Wasserman, S., & Faust, K. (2006). Testing multi-theoretical multilevel hypotheses about organizational networks: An analytic framework and empirical example. Academy of Management Review, 31(3), 681–703.
Diesner, J., & Carley, K. (2005). Revealing social structure from texts: Meta-matrix text analysis as a novel method for network text analysis. In V. K. Narayanan & D. J. Armstrong (Eds.), Causal mapping for information systems and technology research: Approaches, advances, and illustrations (Chap. 4, pp. 81–108). Harrisburg, PA: Idea Group Publishing.
Diesner, J., Frantz, T., & Carley, K. M. (2006). Communication networks from the Enron Email Corpus. Journal of Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, 11, 201–228.
Dooley, K., Corman, S., & Ballard, D. (2004). Centering resonance analysis: A superior data mining algorithm for textural data streams. Pentagon, Washington DC, Department of Defense, 81 pp.
Drabek, T. E. (1986). Human responses to disaster: An inventory of sociological findings. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Drabek, T. E., & Key, W. H. (1984). Conquering disaster: Family recovery and long-term consequences. New York: Irvington.
Edwards, M. L. K. (1998). An interdisciplinary perspective on disasters and stress: The promise of an ecological framework. Sociological Forum, 13(1), 115–132.
Figley, C. R. (1986). Trauma and its wake, Volume II: Traumatic stress theory, research and intervention. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Fukuyama, F. (1995). Trust. New York: Free Press.
Fulk, J., Flanagin, A., Kalman, M., Monge, P., & Ryan, T. (1996). Connective and communal public goods in interactive communication systems. Communication Theory, 6(1), 60–87.
Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360–1380.
Haines, V., Beggs, J. J., & Hurlbert, J. S. (2002). Exploring structural contexts of the support process: Social networks, social statuses, social support, and psychological distress. Advances in Medical Sociology, 8, 271–294.
Haines, V., Hurlbert, J. S., & Beggs, J. J. (1996). Exploring the determinants of support provision: Provider characteristics, personal networks, community contexts, and support following life events. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 37(3), 252–264.
Haines, V., Hurlbert, J. S., & Beggs, J. J. (1999). Taking the environment seriously: A respecification and test of the disaster framing of the stress process. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, 17, 367–397.
Hajer, M., & Wagenaar, H. (2003). Deliberative policy analysis: Understanding governance in the network society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hurlbert, J. S., Beggs, J. J., & Haines, V. (2005). Bridges over troubled waters: What are the optimal networks for Katrina’s victims? New York: Social Science Research Council. http://understandingkatrina.ssrc.org.
Hurlbert, J. S., Haines, V., & Beggs, J. J. (2000). Core networks and tie activation: What kinds of routine networks allocate resources in nonroutine situations? American Sociological Review, 65, 598–618.
Kapucu, N. (2005a). Interagency communication networks during emergencies: Boundary spanners in multiagency coordination. American Review of Public Administration, 36(2), 207–225.
Kapucu, N. (2005b). Interorganizational coordination in dynamic context: Networks in emergency response management. Connections, 26(2), 33–48.
Kapucu, N., & Van Wart, M. (2006). The evolving role of the public sector in managing catastrophic disasters: Lessons learned. Administration & Society, 38(3), 279–308.
Krebs, V. (2002). Uncloaking terrorist networks. First Monday (Vol. 7). http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue7_4/krebs/.
Marsden, P. (1987). Core discussion networks of Americans. American Sociological Review, 52, 122–131.
McPherson, M., Smith-Lovin, L., & Brashears, M. E. (2006). Social isolation in America: Changes in core discussion networks over two decades. American Sociological Review, 71, 353–375.
Monge, P., Fulk, J., Kalman, M., Flanagin, A., Parnassa, C., & Rumsey, S. (1998). Production of collective action in alliance-based interorganizational communication and information systems. Organization Science, 9(3), 411–433.
Monge, P. R., & Contractor, N. S. (2003). Theories of communication networks. New York: Oxford University Press.
Moody, J., McFarland, D. A., & Bender-deMoll, S. (2005). Dynamic network visualization. American Journal of Sociology, 110(4), 1206–1241.
Perrow, C. (1999). Organizing to reduce the vulnerabilities of complexity. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 7(3), 150–155.
Prell, C. (2003). Community networking and social capital: Early investigations. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 8(3), 1–22.
Quarantelli, E. L., & Dynes, R. R. (1977). Response to social crisis and disaster. Annual Review of Sociology, 3, 23–49.
Robins, G. L., Pattison, P. E., Kalish, Y., & Lusher, D. (2005). A Workshop on Exponential Random Graph (p*) Models for Social Networks. Social Networks Working Paper No 2/05. Psychology Department, University of Melbourne.
Robins, G. L., Snijders, T. A. B., & Wang, P. (2005). Recent developments in exponential random graph (p*) models for social networks. Social Networks Working Paper No 2/05. Psychology Department, University of Melbourne.
Robinson, S. E., Berrett, B., & Stone, K. (2006). The development of collaboration of response to Hurricane Katrina in the Dallas area. Public Works Management & Policy, 10(4), 315–327.
Sanil, A., Banks, D., & Carley, K. (1995). Models for evolving fixed node networks: Model fitting and model testing. Social Networks, 17(1), 65–81.
Schuldes, S. (2007). LPNet. http://www.cl.uni-heidelberg.de/~schuldes/LPNet/index.shtml, 2007.
Scott, J. (1991). Social network analysis: A handbook. London: Sage Publications.
Shavit, Y., Fischer, C. S., & Koresh, Y. (1994). Kin and nonkin under collective threat: Israeli networks during the gulf war. Social Forces, 72(4), 1197–1215.
Solomon, S. D. (1985). Enhancing social support for disaster victims. In B. J. Sowder (Ed.), Disasters and mental health: Contemporary perspectives. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Mental Health.
Solomon, S. D. (1986). Mobilizing social support networks in times of disaster. In C. R. Figley (Ed.), Trauma and its wake, Volume II: Traumatic stress theory, research and intervention. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Stallings, R. A., & Quarantelli, E. L. (1985). Emergent citizen groups and emergency management. Public Administration Review, 45(Special issue), 93–100.
Thompson, S., & Frank, O. (2000). Model-based estimation with link-tracing sampling designs. Survey Methodology, 26(1), 87–98.
Tierney, K. J. (1985). Emergency medical preparedness and response in disasters: The need for interorganizational coordination. Public Administration Review, 45(Special issue), 77–84.
Wasserman, J., & Robins, G. L. (2005). An introduction to random graphs, dependence graphs, and p*. In P. J. Carrington, J. Scott, & J. Wasserman (Eds.), Models and methods in social network analysis (pp. 148–161). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Acknowledgment
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. 0555115, 0555934, 0555136, 0601731. We would like to thank Larry Suter for his support and guidance of this work and David Swanson for his editorial support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Varda, D.M., Forgette, R., Banks, D. et al. Social Network Methodology in the Study of Disasters: Issues and Insights Prompted by Post-Katrina Research. Popul Res Policy Rev 28, 11–29 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11113-008-9110-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11113-008-9110-9