Before reading the Peet and Watts article I had a discussion with my dissertation chair about methodology for my dissertation. Originally I wanted to compare the networks of 3 different school contexts: economically/racially integrated, economically/racially segregated, and predominately white/affluent. I thought that it would be impossible for me to study all 3 and graduate, so I sided on just comparing integrated and segregated school contexts. My chair thought that still including the affluent context would add an interesting element of studying power-power networks. This led me to question, "What type of knowledge is the right type of knowledge; what knowledge leads to social and educational mobility? What type of knowledge has power?" In the readings we have immersed ourselves in the past 6 weeks, a community was defined as a system of networks and connections among individuals. This has made me shift my unit of analysis a bit. I was focused on integrated, segregated, and affluent communities but this is implying that communities=institutions. The community is actually defined by the student. The students builds their own community based on the networks she or he utilizes to gain access to postsecondary education. So my unit of analysis should be the community of networks the student utilizes. The integrated, segregated, or affluent school context is an institution not a community. These institutions define power. According to Peet and Watts:
"regional discursive formations originate in, and display the effects of, certain physical, political economic, and institutional settings, but that discursive formations grounded in material, political, or ideological power supremacies demonstrate a continual tendency to extend over spaces with greatly different characteristics and discursive traditions. (p. 231)"
So even though students may create their community of networks, this community is situated within a place bound institution.....the integrated, segregated, or affluent school context. So the question is how does the institutional power/discourse affect the networks towards accessing postsecondary education for students in each context? What are the regional discursive formations of each context and how do they impact the students' networks?
Clarification question: Am I applying this theory correctly and are there any other readings that could help me build upon the idea of power of discourse in institutions and how it impacts networks?
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Don't think you are there yet in applying principles of network analysis to topic.
You should spend time looking at literature and guides on network analysis. You want to understand how theorists and researchers use the concept (network analysis) to highlight both structure and the process of human interactions. That is, what are the structural and relational features of networks? What are theorist referring to when talk about members, nodes, clusters, bridges, center, etc.? How might these terms capture different stores of knowledge/skills; values/beliefs/attitutes/behavior you think generate 'going to college' behaviors?
Another issue: Power is a composite variable -- a proxy for differing stores of knowledge/skill; values/beliefs/attitudes/behaviors; practices. It is only important as a representation of these other attributes. Schools, then, represent different combinations and densities of these attributes -- the strengths and efficacy social networks in producing 'going to college' behavior of students.
Again, look at these websites for hints and suggestions.
Social Network Analysis
SNA Social Network Analysis.
Website: Center for Urban Studies @ U. of Buffalo. On Neighborhoods - publications list.
Note this paper about mid-way down the page,
Takahashi, Lois M. November 2006. Disruptive Social Capital: Toward a Theory of (Un)Healthy Interactions. Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.
It got me to thinking about how you might think about 'disturbances' that could interrupt flow of collective capital (i.e., useful information about college-going options) to specific individuals.
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