networks
A network is a set of nodes (or vertices) connected by
edges
- People in a social network
- Countries that are trading partners
- Citation networks
Nodes
Individual units within a network (e.g., people or entities).
Edges
Connections between nodes (e.g., relationships or trade agreements).
Directed graph
possesses specific orientations of links.
Email network: Message sent from A to B (sender → recipient).
Bidirectional graph
where links operate in both directions.
Ex. Facebook “friends”: Friendship must be accepted; tie is mutual.
Types of networks
- complete Network
- circle/ring network
- path/line network
- star network
- Tree network
Centralized
A singular control point within the graph.
Decentralized
Dispersed control across multiple nodes.
Distributed
Control is evenly spread among all nodes.
Network Limitations
Diachronic blindness
can’t capture changes over time
Facebook friendship network snapshot today won’t show how ties fade (ex-friends who no longer talk) or new ties form (people you’ll meet next semester)
Network Limitations
Flatness
What constitutes an edge or relationship?
Social networks is fuzzy → how do you define a relationship
Network Limitations
Network fever
(everything reduced to “networks”): if everything is a network, the analytic value of the network concept is diminished
reducing human friendships only to nodes/edges risks ignoring emotions, history, or power dynamics that don’t map neatly into network terms.
episteme
the underlying mindset or “common sense” that shapes how people understand the world — even if they don’t realize it.
- people believed the Earth was the center of the universe (geocentrism) — that was their episteme.
- people accepted the Sun as the center (heliocentrism) — a totally different way of seeing reality.
network episteme
we tend to see everything as a network of connections, nodes, and data.
We say things like “social networks,” “professional networks,” or “networking,” applying that logic to human life.
network episteme impact
normalizes surveillance, inequality, and the commodification of human connection
- You install a new app, and it asks for your location access.
- You mention needing new shoes, and suddenly see shoe ads on Instagram.
- Your phone automatically uploads photos and files to the cloud.
- We routinely share personal experiences, photos, and opinions online.
Nodocentrism
Valuing the node (and its connectivity) as the key unit of worth.
“Your network is your net worth”
We privilege what is inside the network and neglect the outside (e.g., relatives off social media drift to periphery; archives digitized get studied, undigitized get ignored).
From Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 (examples)
Static → Social/Participatory:
Photo galleries → Flickr (tags, groups, follows).
Encyclopedias → Wikipedia (collaborative authorship).
Personal sites → Blogs (RSS, comments, tags).
Simple invites → Event platforms (listing, ticketing).
Key shift: From publishing to participation (and data).
WEB 2.0: 7 PRINCIPLES
- The Web as Platform
- Harnessing Collective Intelligence
- Data is the Next Intel Inside
- End of the Software Release Cycle
- Lightweight Programming Models
- Software Above the Level of a Single Device
- Rich User Experiences
WEB 2.0: 7 PRINCIPLES
The Web as a Platform
the internet itself became the foundation for everything — instead of selling software, companies build online services that grow more powerful as more people use them and provide data.
WEB 2.0: 7 PRINCIPLES
Harnessing collective Intelligence
the users create the value — through reviews, posts, tags, data, and collaboration.
The web becomes a self-improving network because everyone’s participation makes it smarter and richer.
Amazon: User reviews, searches, and purchases shape recommendations and products.
eBay: Users are the product; many sellers make competition hard.
WEB 2.0: 7 PRINCIPLES
Data is the Next Intel Inside
data becomes the most valuable resource — just like computer chips (“Intel Inside”) were the key to hardware in the past.
The company with the best, largest, and most connected data wins — because data fuels personalization, prediction, and better user experiences.
WEB 2.0: 7 PRINCIPLES
End of Software Release Cycle
- users had to buy or download new software versions
- now cloud-based and web apps, updates happen automatically—making programs continuously evolving in a “perpetual beta.”
You don’t download new versions — it updates automatically in the cloud.
WEB 2.0: 7 PRINCIPLES
Lightweight Programing models
building apps using simple tools that can easily connect and share data. Instead of creating everything from scratch, developers combine existing parts (like APIs) to make new features.
Early Twitter apps used Twitter’s data with Google Maps to show tweets by location.
WEB 2.0: 7 PRINCIPLES
Software above a single device
Applications that are integrated with server-based processes, cloud storage, or other external servers.
Shift from device-specific software → to cloud/server-based apps.
Photoshop → from one-time purchase (disc) to subscription (Creative Cloud).
