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Network Formation in the Political Blogosphere: An Application of Agent Based Simulation and e-Research Tools

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  • Robert Ackland
  • Jamsheed Shorish

Abstract

The political blogosphere has recently been the focus of attention for social network analysis and applications of network and graph theory. In a recent paper, Adamic and Glance (2005) report differences between the linking behavior of politically conservative vs. politically liberal Web bloggers. We construct a simple agent-based network formation model which shows that one such difference, demonstrating what we term ‘political homophily’, can be generated by connecting the blogosphere to the underlying population distribution of political preferences. The model is implemented as a web service in the e-tool VOSON (Virtual Observatory for the Study of Online Networks), and both model and tool serve to define a natural environment for research into link formation behavior with large numbers of heterogeneous network participants.
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Suggested Citation

  • Robert Ackland & Jamsheed Shorish, 2009. "Network Formation in the Political Blogosphere: An Application of Agent Based Simulation and e-Research Tools," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 34(4), pages 383-398, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:compec:v:34:y:2009:i:4:p:383-398
    DOI: 10.1007/s10614-009-9173-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Matthew O. Jackson & Brian W. Rogers, 2005. "The Economics of Small Worlds," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 3(2-3), pages 617-627, 04/05.
    2. Gabrielle Demange & Wooders Myrna, 2005. "Group Formation in Economics: Networks, Clubs and Coalitions," Post-Print halshs-00576778, HAL.
    3. Alford, John R. & Funk, Carolyn L. & Hibbing, John R., 2005. "Are Political Orientations Genetically Transmitted?," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 99(2), pages 153-167, May.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Network formation; Social networks; Blogosphere; e-Research; Agent-based simulation; D85; C63; L86;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software

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