ANET Lab Seminar Series
David Schoch (School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester): Rethinking one-mode projections

Abstract | Two-mode networks are usually analyzed in one of two ways. With the "direct" approach using methods tailored for bipartite graphs, or with the "conversion" approach which includes all methods that project the two-mode network onto each mode separately. In this talk, I focus on one-mode projections where one mode serves as the primary mode and the second mode only as a proxy for relations among actors in the primary mode. Drawing parallels to item response theory, I argue that projected (and dichotomized) ties are conceptually different than traditional ties which therefore restricts the applicability and interpretability of standard network analytic tools in such cases. I will introduce a set of alternative methods to analyze one-mode projections and exemplify these with several empirical examples.

David Schoch came to Manchester in September 2018 as a Presidential Fellow in Sociology. He received his PhD in 2015 at the Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Konstanz, Germany. During that time, he was also a member of the Graduate School of Decision Sciences. His thesis focused on theoretical advancements for network centrality in the field of social network analysis. He continued as a post doctoral researcher at the University of Konstanz (11/2015-10/2017) and ETH Zurich (11/2017-8/2018). He also holds a diploma in economathematics from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany.

In his current research, he focuses on methodological and theoretical contributions to the field of Social Network Analysis. Additionally, he is involved in a project on disinformation campaigns on social media platforms ("political astroturfing").