Dynamics of Network Formation

An ongoing research project with my doctoral students extends my previous line of inquiry by examining some of the evolutionary dynamics of small-world networks. Diverging from recent research that has analyzed static small worlds, we have adopted a dynamic view of the development and ultimate dissolution of such networks. We also consider the micro-level behavioral dynamics underlying the development of these pervasive social systems; some of these dynamics result in the formation of local ties, which agglomerate into tightly linked clusters, while others generate bridging ties between those clusters.