[Air-L] Textbook suggestions on internet-based social science

[Corten, R. (Rense)]

Hi all,

For my course “Internet, social media and networks” in our sociology master program, I’ve been using Rober Ackland’s excellent “Web Social Science” from 2013 for years. Although I really like this book, it feels increasingly outdated, given the fast-moving nature of the topic and the field. So I’m looking for suggestions for a replacement. The ideal textbook would, like WSS, contain a mix of theoretical and methodological tools for research in digital contexts, with plenty of examples of recent research with an emphasis on the quantitative tradition in social science, and all with applications to relevant and interesting social science (preferably sociological) problems. I find that in particular the combination of tools (such as data collection on the internet and SNA) and discussion of substantive problems is actually quite rare in textbooks (e.g., Bit by bit by Salganik is great on tools but does not teach much substantively about “sociology of the internet”). So, any suggestions are welcome!

Best, Rense

Dr. Rense Corten | Associate professor | Department of Sociology/ICS | Utrecht University | Address: Padualaan 14, 3584 CH, Utrecht, the Netherlands | t: +31 (0)30 253 8814