AAAS 280KDH: Network Analysis

Catalog

This introductory course explores how network analysis can reveal hidden patterns and complex relations within and across texts. In this course, students will learn how to extract network data from sources, clean and process this data, and visualize it using VOSviewer and Gephi. This hybrid seminar-studbo course will devote the first four weeks to grasping the basic principles of network analysis, developing essential vocabulary, and examining existing network projects by literary and digital humanities scholars. The course will then transition to a workshop/studio format where students build technical fluency through hands-on practice. Major assignments will include a group case study presentation, a literature review with bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer (midterm project), and a research paper analyzing literature through Gephi. Throughout the semester, students will gain both critical knowledge and practical skills in network analysis while developing an understanding of the ways in which computational approaches deepen interpretive work in literary studies today. No prior technical or specialized writing experience is required as instruction and support will be provided in both areas.