reading assignment

Due in 8 hours 

questions and reading materials are all attached to this post.

Granovetter, “The Strength of Weak Ties” (1973)

1.     Granovetter defines the “strength” of an interpersonal tie as a combination of four elements.  Be ready to list two, or to recognize any or all of them.

2.     If S is the set of all persons with ties to either A or B or both of them, what is the relationship between the strength of the tie between A and B and the proportion of individuals in S who have ties to both A and B?

3.     What does it mean to say that a tie is a “bridge?”

4.     What is the relationship between the strength of a tie and the likelihood that the tie serves as a bridge?  Are strong ties or weak ties more likely to serve as bridges?

5.     What does it mean to say that bridging ties (or “local bridges”) differ in degree?

6.     Why are weak ties more important mechanisms for the diffusion of information than strong ties?

7.     What are the implications of Granovetter’s theory for each of the following?

a.     the operation of labor markets, and of markets in general

b.     urban and community studies

c.     theories of social structure

d.     preferred levels of analysis for research and theory building