Harrison White: Pure and Applied

Coordinator: Prof. Klaus Liepelt, Mittweida
Academic Tutor: Sylvana Schnerch
Course Language: English. Prerequisite: Workshop A
Time: Monday, July 21 to Friday, August 8 (68 hrs.)

Empirical social research is challenged by theories and methods based on relations between actors, in contrast to attributes of individuals. The younger generation is used to deal with social networks as a matter of course. However, there is a need to master the methods of exploring and analyzing social worlds. The theoretical work of Harrison C. White which devised the basis for network analysis is crucial, for empirical research in complex systems as well. In cooperation with a generation of inspired students, White has developed concepts and tools for understan-ding social dynamics, from the grass roots up. As they are suited for probing into self organizing social formations, of small and large scale, we will explore and apply them to data on two sizeable organisations in the area of political communications: Deutscher Bundestag and Deutsche Welle.

In contrast to the stochastics of social process, some disciplines will be examined that are embedded in complex artefacts of engineers .

B-1 Coupling of Netdoms on Demand: New Paradigms of Empirical Social Research

Prof. Klaus Liepelt
Mo. 21.07. to Wed. 07.08. (16 hrs.)

B-2 Communication Markets. Emerging from Networks

NN
Wed. 23.07. to Wed. 30.07. (8 hrs.)

B-3 Multiplatform. Multitrading. Multimemberships: Distributed Structures in Information Broadcasts

Adelheid Feilcke-Tiemann M.A., Heinz Pianka, DW Bonn
Mo. 21.07. to Fr. 25.07. (20 hrs.)

B-4 Upwards, Downwards, Sideways: Unveiling Dynamics of Policy Decision Clusters

PD Dr. Lothar Krempel, Max Planck Institute Cologne
Tue. 22.07. to Thu. 08.08. (8 hrs.)

B-5 Simplex vs. Complex: Disciplines and Engineers

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Schulz, Mittweida
Mo. 04.08. to Fr. 08.08. (16 hrs.)