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Six degrees of separation' is a clich-, as is 'it's a small world', both clich-s of the language and clich-s of everyone's experience. We all live in tightly bonded social networks, yet linked to vast numbers of people more closely than we sometimes think
Everyone knows the small-world phenomenon: soon after meeting a stranger, we are surprised to discover that we have a mutual friend, or we are connected through a short chain of acquaintances. In his book, Duncan Watts uses this intriguing phenomenon--colloquially called "six degrees of separation"--as a prelude to a more general exploration: under what conditions can a small world arise in any kind of network? The networks of this story are everywhere: the brain is a network of neurons; organisations are people networks; the global economy is a network of national economies, which are networks of markets, which are in turn networks of interacting producers and consumers. Food webs, ecosyste...
Why is the Mona Lisa the most famous painting in the world? Why did Facebook succeed when other social networking sites failed? Did the surge in Iraq really lead to less violence? And does higher pay incentivize people to work harder? If you think the answers to these questions are a matter of common sense, think again. As sociologist and network science pioneer Duncan Watts explains in this provocative book, the explanations that we give for the outcomes that we observe in life-explanations that seem obvious once we know the answer-are less useful than they seem. Watts shows how commonsense reasoning and history conspire to mislead us into thinking that we understand more about the world of human behavior than we do; and in turn, why attempts to predict, manage, or manipulate social and economic systems so often go awry. Only by understanding how and when common sense fails can we improve how we plan for the future, as well as understand the present-an argument that has important implications in politics, business, marketing, and even everyday life.
By understanding how and when common sense fails, we can improve our understanding of the present and better plan for the future. Drawing on the latest scientific research, along with a wealth of historical and contemporary examples, Watts shows how common sense reasoning and history conspire to mislead us into believing that we understand more about the world of human behavior than we do; and in turn, why attempts to predict, manage, or manipulate social and economic systems so often go awry. It seems obvious, for example, that people respond to incentives; yet policy makers and managers alike frequently fail to anticipate how people will respond to the incentives they create. Social trends...
This Dictionary offers a fresh, up-to-date look at US government and politics, explaining and where necessary demystifying the key terms used in discussion of the political system.Major figures, events, ideas, movements and Supreme Court cases relevant to a study of the American political system are included with the aim of allowing readers to develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the area. The Dictionary also raises key issues and areas of contention and academic debate.Coverage is comprehensive, with c.400 entries, each providing analysis of the subject. Terms are presented in an A-Z format with cross-referencing where appropriate.
Europe remains the great fault line in British politics, the issue with the power to make or break prime ministers and government. This second edition offers a clear, concise introduction to the European Union and the role of Britain in European politics. Colin Pilkington explains how the EU has grown, and covers the impact of the EU on British policy-making and on European legislation. He also explores the British participation in the EU's legislative processes. New to this edition is coverage of the introduction of the Euro, the reform of the Commission, the Amsterdam Treaty, the elections of 1999, and Agenda 2000. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.
Duncan Watts examines the institutions and practices of British government and politics and makes selective comparisons with the experience of other countries, mainly liberal democracies.
From the Internet to networks of friendship, disease transmission, and even terrorism, the concept--and the reality--of networks has come to pervade modern society. But what exactly is a network? What different types of networks are there? Why are they interesting, and what can they tell us? In recent years, scientists from a range of fields--including mathematics, physics, computer science, sociology, and biology--have been pursuing these questions and building a new "science of networks." This book brings together for the first time a set of seminal articles representing research from across these disciplines. It is an ideal sourcebook for the key research in this fast-growing field. The b...
Understanding US/UK government and politics is a further volume in the Understanding Politics series. It is written specifically for A2 students and covers the comparative dimension of advanced level study. It closely follows the syllabuses of the main examination boards, being especially helpful for those requiring a direct comparison between the two political systems. Clear and accessible in style, it offers invaluable insights into the similarities and differences between British and American politics. These are summarised in useful boxes at the end of each chapter, where there are also det.
This forms part of a history series which provides a comprehensive coverage of British and European history from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The series aims to help students develop the essential skills required for A/AS Level and Higher Grade.