This article explores how aggregate level data may be used to make inferences about individual level behaviour. A common strategy in the past was to assume that the relations evident in aggregated data are also present in individual data. Analysis of datasets where there is both individual and aggregated information demonstrates that this assumption is most often incorrect. This means that the relationships observed between variables at an aggregated level are unlikely to be observed in individual level data. This is a problem because quite often social scientists only have aggregated data for exploring individual level behaviour. A key question explored in this article is how is it possible to validly and reliably use aggregated datasets to make inferences about relationships between variables at the individual level. An example analysis is given using electoral data from the Czech Republic., Pat Lyons., 4 obrázky, 4 tabulky, Obsahuje bibliografii, and Anglické resumé
Ewa Rumińska-Zimny přednáší genderová studia na Polské akademii věd a je prezidentkou Mezinárodního fóra pro ženy v akademii a obchodu na Varšavské vysoké škole ekonomické. Akademickou práci spojuje s prací pro Organizaci spojených národů. Autorsky a editorsky se podílela na přípravě řady zpráv OSN, například Zpráv o lidském rozvoji, a v Evropské hospodářské komisi OSN v Ženevě spolupracovala na hodnocení závazků přijatých na Konferenci OSN o ženách v Pekingu. Odborně se zabývá procesy tranzice ve východní a střední Evropě, feministickou ekonomií a genderovou rovností. Je členkou Mezinárodní asociace feministických ekonomů a ekonomek (IAFFE) a spoluzakladatelkou GEM-Europe, který je součástí globální vědecké sítě Gender a makroekonomika., Dr. Ewa Rumińska-Zimny is a lecturer in Gender Studies at the Polish Academy of Science and the President of the International Forum of Women in Academia and Business at the Warsaw School of Economics. She combined academic work with work for the United Nations. Her work included writing and coordination of UN reports, e.g., Human Development Reports, analyses of the transition process in Eastern and Central Europe and reviews of progress in gender equality within the framework of the Beijing process at the UN Economic Commission for Europe in Geneva. She is a member of the International Association of Feminist Economists (IAFFE) and the initiator of GEM Europe, a part of the global network of researchers on Gender and Macroeconomics., Ewa Rumińska-Zimny, Zuzana Uhde, Alena Křížková., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The paper presents to Czech social scientists an introductory review of the concept of equivalence and the method of blockmodeling in social network analysis (SNA). After introducing the central concepts of SNA such as node and tie, along with their basic metrics such as centrality and cohesion, I present the concepts of role and position. These are treated by SNA as clusters of nodes with similar ties, something I juxtapose to algorithms to identify cohesive subgroups of nodes. Subsequently, I define and compare the two most frequently applied types of equivalence - structural, which is strict but broadly applicable, and regular, which is more liberal but has limited uses. Structural equivalence builds on a strict definition of similarity of ties, treating as equivalent only such nodes that have the same ties to the same other nodes. Regular equivalence works with looser criteria and better corresponds with both the theoretical and the intuitive notions of role; this, however, is outweighed by the absence of a unique regular-equivalent solution within a network and by the difficulty to process networks with undirected ties. Regular-equivalent nodes are such that have ties to other mutually equivalent nodes. I present examples to demonstrate the differences between both definitions. In the following section, I discuss measurement of similarity between the different nodes’ profiles of ties (e.g., correlation and Euclidean distance) and possible uses of the standard statistical methods of cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling to detect equivalent classes of nodes within networks. After pointing to the weaknesses of these techniques in network data analysis, I present blockmodeling as a method designed specifically to identify roles and positions within networks. Ischematize the blockmodeling procedure and present its basic terms before comparing classic inductive blockmodeling, which is primarily fit for the purposes of exploration and network reduction, with deductive generalized blockmodeling, which is applicable in testing hypotheses about basic structural characteristics of a network. I bring attention to the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches. Relatedly, I present an application of blockmodeling especially for the purposes of simplified network representation, comparing structural patterns across networks, and testing structural theories. In the following section, I demonstrate specific blockmodeling algorithms based on both structural equivalence (CONCOR and Tabu Search optimization) and regular equivalence (REGE and Tabu Search optimization). Then I verify the adequacy of their resulting assignment of positions to nodes using eta coefficient, Q modularity and correlation of the ideal blocked and the empirical adjacency matrices. In the concluding section, I demonstrate the entire blockmodeling procedure on an empirical case of a small network with undirected ties using the UCINET software tool, including interpretation of results. Finally, I reflect the contemporary position of blockmodeling among leading research approaches in SNA, referring to other empirically oriented studies that demonstrate the broad applicability and utility of position analysis., Tomáš Diviák., and Obsahuje použitou literaturu a poznámky
Tato stať se zabývá analýzou veřejného mínění obyvatel neevropských zemí a jejich pohledem na Evropskou unii. Studie přitom není analýzou zahraniční či obchodní politiky těchto zemí, nýbrž vychází z postojů obyvatel těchto zemí. Občané těchto zemí hodnotí EU nejčastěji jako „soft power“ a jako ekonomickou velmoc. Vysoce ceněné jsou nadále také aktivity v oblasti mírových rekonstrukcí bývalých válečných regionů, vytýkáno je jí však, že málo využívá svého ekonomického potenciálu při řešení konfliktů. Shodně jí však také kritizují za protekcionistickou politiku v oblasti dovozu. Politicky ovšem unie nadále zůstává víceméně nevýznamným aktérem mezinárodních vztahů., This article deals with the analysis of public opinion in the non-European countries and with their view about the European Union. The study is not yet an analysis of foreign and trade policies of these countries, but it based on the opini - ons of their inhabitants. The citizens of these countries assessed the EU as “soft power” and as an economic superpower. Highly valued are the activities in the field of peaceful reconstruction of the former war regions, however, it is alleged that it uses few use its economical potential in resolving conflicts. However the Union is criticized for their protectionist policies in the import. Politically remains the union largely unimportant player in international relations., and Lukáš, Novotný.