LING 534A: Sociolinguistic Applications of Social Network Theory
Autumn,
2008
Instructor:
Alicia Beckford Wassink (wassink@u...)
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Meetings: |
TTh 1:30-3:20 |
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Location: |
MGH 282 |
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Website: |
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Instructor: |
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Office: |
A217
Padelford |
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Office
Hrs: |
W
11-12:30pm and by appt. |
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Office
Ph: |
616-9589 |
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Dept.
Ph: |
543-2046
(Linguistics
Dept. main office) |
To view
the lecture slides for a particular day, follow the quick link in the bulleted
list below to the syllabus, and click on the link in the "to be
prepared" column for the desired day
Learning
Objectives
By the
conclusion of this course, students should be able to:
1.
Design
an ethnographic study of a social network
2.
Distinguish
the notion of social network analysis from the notion of social network theory
and state key tenets of social network theory
3.
Assess
the size, structure or content characteristics of social networks and relations
within them; compute network density, multiplexity, bias and integration;
associate actors with key structural positions; graph basic ego-centric
networks using UCI Net software
4.
Articulate
the key findings of “classic” social network studies that have examined the
relationship between network features and adoption of some linguistic change
5.
Situate
sociolinguistic network studies within the broader realm of social network
research
Course Overview
This course is
concerned with language in its social context--as it is used by everyday people
in everyday interaction. We will
examine the ways in which the linguistic behavior of people in society reflects
their membership in small and large social groupings: from large-scale social
classes and geographic dialects, to small-scale clusters such as neighborhoods
or recreational groups. We focus
on what has been named the “second wave” of variationist sociolinguistics,
ethnographic studies that investigate the individual and linkages between
individuals rather than abstract macrosocial groupings. We will also ask how
approaches centered on these different units (i.e., the group vs. the
individual) provide different insights about linguistic behavior.
Our attention will be centered on social networks--those
webs of informal and formal interpersonal contacts that comprise all human
societies. Research into social
networks is regarded within the field of sociolinguistics as breaking new
ground in our understanding of the ways that social forces impact the way that
language varies and changes over time.
Introduced to sociolinguistic research the 1980s by James and Lesley
Milroy, this approach draws on the interdisciplinary field of social network
analysis, which encompasses a range of methods, structural notions, and
graphing techniques developed by sociologists, anthropologists, statisticians,
among other practitioners. Sociolinguists recognize the approach as synthesizing
Labovian approaches to social dialectology with Gumperzian approaches to social
anthropology and the sociology of language.
“Social
network analysis is inherently an interdisciplinary endeavor. The concepts of social network analysis
developed out of a propitious meeting of social theory and application, with
formal mathematical, statistical, and computing methodology...the central
concepts of relation, network, and structure arose almost independently in
several social and behavioral science disciplines. The pioneers of social network analysis came from sociology
and social psychology...and anthropology (Stanley Wasserman and Katherine
Faust, Social Network Analysis: methods and applications 1994:10).”
Our reading plan is to engage the principal set of network
studies written within the field of sociolinguistics while bolstering our
understanding of social networks more generally, using classic literature in
social network analysis. After the
first week, most of our weekly reading will include both literature from
sociolinguistics scholarship and something from the larger social network
“canon.” We will go heavy on the
social aspects of social network analysis, as these will be most relevant for
students of general linguistics, communication studies, and education, and
quite a bit lighter on the mathematical, statistical and computational aspects,
which are not. We will complete
assignments that introduce students to the basics of UCINet software;
considered the most-used tool in social network graphing.
In terms of readings in sociolinguistics, detailed
consideration of several types of networks in various parts of the globe will
allow us to explore how an understanding of social network ties can elucidate
the regularity and direction of language change: e.g., phonological change in
the Austrian Alps, retention of a rural dialect in an ethnic enclave in urban
Brazil, development of an urban vernacular in Belfast. We will see how these
investigations of different topics (from the social path taken by phonological
changes to social constraints on codeswitching) all entail different
applications of social network theory, with different types of indices for
estimating community integration and determining structural information about
different types of social actors, and in some cases, predictions about the
roles different types of relations will play in language use.
Just a note: we will NOT be studying or using the
web-based social network software that has recently become widely popular on the
internet (e.g., MySpace, LinkedIn, FaceBook, etc.)
Prerequisites:
LING400 (or other upper-level introduction to Linguistics). Recommended
prerequisites: LING432 or 532.
Required
work:
There are
three components of evaluation in this course:
1) Daily
assignments and discussion (30%)
2)
Handbook term project (45%)
3)
Personal network project (25%)
1.
Daily Assignments and Discussion (30%)
Our
graded assignments will alternate between reading responses and tutorials in
social network graphing (geared to introduce the student to use of UCINet 6
software).
- reading
responses
- UCINet
assignments
Our email
list for the course is: ling534a_au08@u.washington.edu
2.
Handbook Term Project: (45%)
Our major
project this term will be a cooperatively completed work entitled (tentatively)
"A Social Network Theory Handbook: Applications to variationist
sociolinguistics." We will
think of this as a co-authored scholarly publication of a work that will make a
major contribution to the field. This project provides graduate students with
an opportunity to experience the process of peer review and collaboration, in
preparation for a career of academic work.
Our work
will be topically arranged, possibly following the headings on the syllabus
below. Each student is responsible
for one chapter in the Handbook, which is due during the final examination hour
for this class. This project will
be completed in three stages:
1.
Peer review (50% of handbook grade): Each
student will independently write a chapter (4-pages, single-spaced) for the handbook. The process of
chapter writing will involve writing of a draft, participating in the peer
review process (50% of handbook grade), chapter revision, chapter submission (the
other 50% of handbook grade). Students will pair with another member of the class to
exchange and review chapter drafts. Students will provide their partners with a
scholarly review (evaluation of
the strengths and weaknesses of the draft; missing elements; suggestions
regarding revision). Students are responsible for incorporating the review
elements into the final draft. Chapter drafts are not turned in for a grade,
however, peer reviews are. The student is responsible for making sure
his or her review is turned in.
2. Assembly
of the handbook: the
class will decide together on the format and organization of the handbook,
additional desired elements (e.g. graphics, supplemental bibliography, etc.).
Your handbook chapter is due during the final examination
period for the course: Friday, Dec 12, 2008, 230-420pm MGH 282. Within one month after assembly,
the completed handbook will be distributed to class members’ departmental mailboxes.
The class often chooses to have a(n) (optional) coffee gathering to discuss the
completed project.
3.
Personal network project (25%)
As an
exercise, we will carry out a
“Personal Network Project” across the quarter. All students will complete a partial quantification of their
own personal social networks, and (depending on class size) the network density
of the LING534 class. You will be
asked to choose one week during October or early November in which you will
keep a journal or diary of your contacts. The completed project packet contains
three components:
a. a record of your social
interactions for one week (any week this quarter, but be deliberate and
complete!)
b. a graph of your network
linkages, including a diagram of your first and second-order network zones
(using some graphical network software, like UCINet for Windows, or Network
Insight for MacOSX)
c. a write-up about your personal
network, including the information laid out in the Personal Network Project
guidelines. 7-10 pps.
The completed project (parts a-c)
will be submitted in class: November 25, 2008.
Required
Readings:
1.) Textbooks.
Milroy, L. (1989) Language and Social Networks, 2nd
ed. Oxford: Blackwell
Wasserman, S. and Faust, K. (1994) Social Network
Analysis: methods and applications. In the series, Structural Analysis in the Social
Sciences, Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
2.) Electronic reserve readings
(https://eres.lib.washington.edu)
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Wk |
Date |
Today |
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1 |
Th 9/25 |
1. Overview: * The need for ethnographic
approaches in variationist sociolinguistics
* What are social networks? * Announcements: Penelope Eckert
visits class on Th 10/16. Interest in student coffee-hour Fri 10/17
10:30-11:30am. Discussion will draw from: Hammersley, M and P. Atkinson
(2006). ch 1, 2 Ethnography: principles in practice. London: Routledge. Rickford, John. 1986. The need
for new approaches to social class analysis in sociolinguistics, Language
and Communication 6(3)
215-222. Milroy and Gordon, 2005. Sociolinguistics:
method and interpretation, ch. 5. Oxford: Blackwell. Assignment 1: Read and collect key definitions
for next lecture |
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2 |
T 9/30 |
2. Theory Wasserman, S and K Faust. 1993. Social
network analysis: methods and applications. chs. 1, 2. Cambridge: Cambridge. Wellman, B. 1988. Structural
Analysis: from method and metaphor to theory and substance. Social
Structures: a network approach. 19-61. |
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Th 10/2 |
2. Theory, cont. Borgatti, S. and M. Everett.
1992 Notions of position in network analysis. Sociological Methodology 22:
1-36 Granovetter, M. 1979. The theory
gap in social network analysis. In Holland, P.W. and Leinhardt, S. Perspectives
in Social Network Analysis. New York: Academic Press, pp 501-518 Assignment 2: Milroy response paper to be turned in (3-5pp) *Based upon your reading for next class. |
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3 |
T10/7 |
3. Networks in Sociolinguistics I: The Belfast Study Milroy, L. 1986. Milroy, L.
(1989) Language and Social Networks, 2nd ed., ch. 1, 6-7. Oxford:
Blackwell [“LSN” hereafter] Milroy, L. & Milroy, J. 1978. Belfast: change and
variation in an urban vernacular. In, Sociolinguistic patterns in British
English (P.
Trudgill, ed.). London: Edward Arnold: 19-36. Assignment 3: UCINet introductory exercise,
density and multiplexity |
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Th10/9 |
3. cont. Networks in Sociolinguistics I: Background
for Belfast Boissevain,
J. (1973) An exploration of two first-order
network zones, ch. 8. In, Network Analysis: studies in human interaction (J. Boissevain, ed.). The Hague: Mouton, pp. 126-147. Mitchell, C. J. (1973) Networks,
norms and institutions, ch. 2. In, Network Analysis: studies in human
interaction (J.
Boissevain, ed.). The
Hague: Mouton, pp. 16-35. |
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4 |
T 10/14 |
4.
Early research into network-sized groups and linguistic variation: The Martha's Vineyard Study
and local identity Labov, W. (1963) The social
motivation of a sound change, Word 19(3), pp. 273-309. LSN 2-3 Assignment 4: Hemnesberget response paper |
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Th 10/16 (Eckert) |
5. Networks and norm enforcement Barnes,
J. A. 1954. Class and committees in a Norwegian Island Parish. Human
Relations 7: 39-58 Blom,
J-P. and Gumperz, J. 1972. Blom,
Jan-Petter and Gumperz, John J. (1972) Social meaning in linguistic
structure: codeswitching in Norway. In Gumperz, J. J. and Hymes, D. (eds.) Directions
in sociolinguistics.
New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pp. 407-434. |
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5 |
T 10/21 |
6.
Structural positions Wasserman,
S and K Faust. 1993. Social network analysis: methods and applications. chs 3-6,12. Cambridge:
Cambridge UP Assignment
5: Position and tie content response paper |
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Th 10/23 |
7.
Networks in Sociolinguistics II: Network strength and adolescent behavior: The Reading Study Cheshire, J. (1987) Present
tense verbs in Reading English. In, Sociolinguistic patterns in British
English (P.
Trudgill, ed.). London:Edward Arnold, pp. 52-68. |
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6 |
T 10/28 |
No class: ABW away 8. Personal network project (meet in sociolab or
location with access to UCINet) Assignment
6: Begin personal network diagram work; -Next
meeting, the class will present a common journal format to be used for
individual projects. |
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Th 10/30 |
9. Networks in Sociolinguistics III: Geographic
mobility and phonological restructuring Contact vs. Subsector approaches Bott, E. (1957) Factors
affecting social networks, ch. 4. In Family and Social Network: roles,
norms and external relationships in ordinary urban families. London: Tavistoc, pp. 97-113. Bortoni-Ricardo, S.-M. (1985) The
urbanization of rural dialect speakers: a sociolinguistic study in Brazil. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. §5.3,
§6.4, §7.1.2-all of ch 8 (pp. 114-122, 138-149, 157-172, 173-216.) Kirke,
K. (2005) When there’s more than one norm enforcement mechanism:
Accommodation and shift among Irish immigrants to New York City. Unpublished
ms. Assignment 7: Bortoni-Ricardo reading response |
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7 |
T 11/4 |
9. Bortoni-Ricardo, cont. |
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Th 11/6 |
10. Global and local networks Breiger,
R. 1988. The duality of persons and groups. Social Structures: a network
approach (Wellman
and Berkowitz, eds). 83-98. Georg
Simmel, 1950. The triad. The sociology of Georg Simmel. New York: Free Press Sign-up for instructor meetings to discuss handbook
topics |
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8 |
T 11/11 |
No class: Veterans’ Day |
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Th 11/13 |
11.
Networks in Sociolinguistics IV: Ethnic dialect variation Code-switching
in a Black British community Edwards, V. (1986) Language
in a black community, chs. 7,8. Avon, England: Multilingual Matters, pp. 78-108. Ash,
S. and Myhill, J. (1986)
Linguistic correlates of inter-ethnic contact. In, Diversity and
diachrony (D.
Sankoff, ed.). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins, pp. 33-44. Assignment 8: UCINet Exercise |
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9 |
T 11/18 |
12.
Networks in Sociolinguistics V: Social Networks and linguistic change: Phonological change in a rural
alpine village Lippi-Green, R. (1989) Social network integration and
language change in progress in a rural alpine village, Language in Society 18(2), pp. 213-234. LSN,
ch. 7 |
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Th 11/20 |
13. Weak Ties Granovetter, M. (1983) The strength of weak ties: a network theory revisited, Sociological
Theory, 1(1),
pp. 201-233. Milroy, J. and Milroy, L. (1997). Network structure and linguistic change. In, Sociolinguistics:
a reader and coursebook (N. Coupland and A. Jaworski, eds.). New York:St. Martin's Press,
pp. 199-211. |
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10 |
T 11/25 |
14. Diffusion of Innovations Valente, T. M. (1995) Network
Models of the Diffusion of Innovations chs 1,2. (upto p. 23) Personal network projects due |
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Th 11/27 |
No class: Thanksgiving Day |
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11 |
T 12/2 |
14, cont. Diffusion of Innovations Valente, T. M. (1995) Network
Models of the Diffusion of Innovations chs 4,5. If time, will discuss adopter categories, ch.
7 Peer review of handbook chapters due |
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Th 12/4 |
In-class collaboration: ABW away In class: Finalize content of handbook chapters, discuss
points of coordination with other authors’ content |
Other
readings of interest
From
books on our syllabus this quarter:
Erickson,
B., 1988. The relational basis of attitudes. The duality of persons and groups.
Social Structures: a network approach (Wellman and Berkowitz, eds). 99ff.
Wellman,
B., Carrington, P. J. and Hall, A. 1988. Networks as personal communities. Social
Structures: a network approach (Wellman and Berkowitz, eds). 130ff.
*The
readings above are included in Part II of the book Social Structures: a network
approach, entitled “Communities”
Recommended
Introductory Networks Texts:
Scott, John (2006) Social
Network Analysis: a handbook. London: Sage.
Ch1 “Networks and
Relations”: pgs1-6;
Ch 3 “Handling
Relational Data”: pgs 38-62
Ch 4 “Points, Lines and
Density”: pgs 63-81
Ch 5 “Centrality and
Centralization”: pgs 82-99
Hanneman,
Robert A. Introduction to Social Network Methods, very readable online textbook.
http://wizard.ucr.edu/~rhannema/SOC157/SOFTWARE/NETTEXT.PDF
Other:
Auer, Peter, Birgit
Barden, & Beate Grosskopf (1998) Subjective and Objective Parameters
Determining 'Salience' in Long-term Dialect Accommodation, Journal of
Sociolinguistics 2 (2) , 163–187.
-----& Hinskens,
Frans (2005) The role of interpersonal accommodation in a theory of language
change, ch 13. In, Dialect
Change: convergence and divergence in European languages (P. Auer, F. Hinskens,
and P. Kerswill, eds). 335-357.
Dodsworth,
R. (2005) Attribute networking: a technique for modeling social perceptions, J
of Sociolinguistics
9(2), 225-253
Dodsworth,
R. and Hume, E. (2005) Review of: Language change and sociolinguistics:
rethinking social networks (by J. Marshall). Journal of Sociolinguistics 9(2), 289-292
Everett, Martin G.
& Borgatti, Stephen P. (2005) Extending centrality, ch. 4. In, Models
and methods in social network analysis (P.J. Carrington, J. Scott and S. Wasserman,
eds.). Cambridge: Cambridge UP. 57-76.
Marshall,
Jonathan (2004) Language change and sociolinguistics: rethinking social
networks.
Palgrave Studies in Language Variation. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Reviewed in Dodsworth and Hume (2005) 289-292.
McCormack, William C. and Wurm, Stephen A.
(1979) Language and Society: anthropological issues. Mouton: The
Hague. Particularly see
contributions by the following authors:
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Silverman & Silverman, “Attitudes toward the adoption of an international
language”
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Lakshmanna, C., “Emerging patterns of communication networks in a developing
society”
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Alfendras. E., “Network concepts in the sociology of language”
Valente, Thomas W.
(2005) Network models and methods for studying the diffusion of innovations,
ch. 6. In, Models and methods in social network analysis (P.J. Carrington, J.
Scott and S. Wasserman, eds.). Cambridge: Cambridge UP. 98-116.
Villena-Ponsoda, Juan Andrés (2005) How similar are people who
speak alike? An interpretive way of using social networks in social
dialectology research, ch 12. In, Dialect Change: convergence and divergence
in European languages (P. Auer, F. Hinskens, and P. Kerswill, eds). 303-334.
Journals:
Human Relations, Springer
Social Networks, Elsevier B. V.
Connections, http://www.analytictech.com/connections/
Commonly used network datasets:
http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/project/INSNA/data_inf.html
The Add Health Project
http://www.cpc.unc.edu/addhealth/