Networks and Contexts: Variation in the Structure of Social Ties
December 14, 2023
Jeremiah Hendren
Networks and Contexts: Variation in the Structure of Social Ties
Entwisle, Barbara, Katherine Faust, Ronald R. Rindfuss, and Toshiko Kaneda. American Journal of Sociology 112, no. 5 (2007): 1495-1533.https://doi.org/10.1086/511803
A core axiom of sociology is that social structure affects and is affected by human behavior, but exactly what this means is not always clear. The term “social structure” has come to symbolize quite different aspects of the larger world in which people live. One meaning is relational, involving ties between individuals or groupings of individuals such as households.These ties may involve kinship, friendship, neighbor relations, social support, and so forth. A second meaning relates to the social units within which individuals and groups of individuals are contained. Schools, firms, voluntary associations, and neighborhoods are examples of these social units. To fix terms, we refer to the former as “networks” and the latter as “contexts.” Although some progress has been made, these perspectives have yet to be fully integrated. This article bridges networks and contexts to advance our understanding of neighborhoods, villages, and communities.
Entwisle et al.