Dealing with Political Networks in Times of Big Data

Abstract

The analysis of social network site (SNS) data is currently very important due to the unprecedented quantity of information gathered from these networks. A huge digital socioscope database is available with numerous possibilities for research. The footprints left by its users while interacting between them can be collected from different API(s) and analysed. Political trends, reception processes and the democratic quality of online discourses could be estimated via social networks; therefore, this area is of high relevance for political communication research. Despite the potential field of research opened by social network site data and social network analysis, however, it contains some caveats: The question remains how valid and reliable those data are from the data collection, and what kind of inferences and benefits we can make from the network analysis. The envisioned aim of this panel, therefore, is to gather insights into methodological and theoretical approaches into big data. How could we best collected networks from SNS and other outlets and how can we handle the produced dataset and lastly archive data in a long lasting way so that they remain accessible? What are potential caveats and chances for political communication actors, processes and institutions? These and other questions will be discussed from several perspectives. This is why the panel welcomes papers addressing theoretical and/or methodological contributions related to the issue of political communication on SNS applying to the methodology of Social Network Analysis.