DHSI Network Analysis Course 2023 Course content for the 2023 DHSI course: Foundations of Network Analysis, which will be held online from June 12-16, 2023.
Jessica Otis | jmotis13@gmail.com | Twitter | Mastodon
This course offers a basic introduction to the construction and analysis of networks. Participants will become familiar with the mathematical concepts that are foundational to networks as they learn to format network data, analyze and interpret networks structures, visualize network graphs, and integrate network analysis into their existing research workflows. They will also be introduced to popular cross-platform digital humanities tools for the visualization and analysis of networks. This course will be relevant to all humanities researchers who are interested in learning more about the potential of network analysis to support humanist research goals. Having completed this course, participants will have a better understanding of how to employ network analysis in their future research and pedagogy. No previous mathematical or programming experience is required.
You should walk away from this course with the following knowledge:
- What the underlying mathematical concepts in a network are
- How to format humanities data for network analysis
- How to visualize networks in order to convey a narrative argument
- How to quantitatively analyze and interpret network structures
- What the currently popular network software and libraries are
Reading materials are optional and attached to the coursepak.
If possible, please install Gephi before this course begins. You can find the free download at -> https://gephi.org. Gephi can be a bit finicky so if you have trouble with the install then I will help you complete the install before we need to use it in class. For Windows users encountering a Java error, the following two links may help: YouTube Java Documentation
- Welcome (async: Slack)
- Basic Concepts, History, and Networks in Our Lives (async: video, short exercise)
- Creating Our First Networks (sync: Zoom) 11am Pacific/UVic time, 2pm Eastern, 7pm UK/GMT+1, etc.
- Varieties of Networks (async: video)
- Breakout Exercise: Airline Networks (sync: Zoom) 11am Pacific/UVic time, 2pm Eastern, 7pm UK/GMT+1, etc.
- Structuring Data for Networks (sync: Zoom)
- Visualizing Networks (async: video)
- Networks Over Time and Space (async: video)
- Breakout Exercise: the Diary of Samuel Pepys (sync: Zoom) 11am Pacific/UVic time, 2pm Eastern, 7pm UK/GMT+1, etc.
- Network Metrics (async: video)
- Breakout Exercise: the Diary of Samuel Pepys, cont. (sync: Zoom) 11am Pacific/UVic time, 2pm Eastern, 7pm UK/GMT+1, etc.
- Additional Network Tools (async video)
- Students work on individual projects, with instructor support (async Slack and sync Zoom as needed)