Network Theory and Models

Abstract

This entry introduces the theory and models of communication networks as a powerful tool for examining the structural complexity and underlying dynamics of human communication. The first section provides a brief overview of the historical background on which network thinking was born and discusses its implications. The second section reviews early studies on communication networks and introduces several important network concepts such as centrality and structural holes. The third section focuses on the recent developments in network research, which has been facilitated by the availability of digital data since the 1990s.