Network Analysis
Network Analysis is a method for studying relationships between entities (people, organizations, concepts) by representing them as nodes and edges in a graph.
Definition
Network analysis visualizes and analyzes connections. In historical research, this often means mapping:
- Correspondence networks — Who wrote to whom
- Citation networks — Which books reference which
- Social networks — Family, business, or political relationships
Key Concepts
Nodes
The entities in your network (people, places, documents).
Edges
The connections between nodes (letters sent, citations, relationships).
Centrality
Measures of importance within a network. A highly central node has many connections or sits at the intersection of many paths.
Tools
- Gephi — Open-source network visualization
- Palladio — Web-based tool for humanities data
- NetworkX (Python) — Programmatic network analysis
Historical Applications
- Mapping the Republic of Letters
- Tracing ideas through citation networks
- Visualizing family and political alliances