Network Theory and Social Interactions

Catalog description

The explosive changes in our abilities to communicate over distances - spurred on by the evolution of communication technologies, coupled with the increased capabilities of the internet and social media - have made peer relationships and social structures very salient. Inequality, social immobility, and political polarization are only a few crucial phenomena driven by the inevitability of social structures. Social structures determine who has power and influence, account for why people fail to assimilate basic facts, and enlarge our understanding of patterns of contagion - from the spread of disease to financial crises. This course introduces the importance of social structures, peers, and networks with an emphasis on real-world applications, including crime, education, labor, development economics, industrial organization, political economy, and financial economics that will engage students with UAE organizations like the Abu Dhabi Police, the Gender Balance Council, NYUAD's Human Resources, and more. This course will be offered in January-Term 2026.