The 1st International Congress on Social Networks (CIReS) is a forum which aims to bring together researchers, technicians and specialists who develop their activity in the framework of social networks, whether in their study, whether in the design and implementation of social and organizational intervention projects. We have the ambition to congregate in CIReS participants of the various parts of the world, and streamline a framework of sharing and reflection around the multitude of social networks and methodologies for its scientific study.

People are inserted in society through social relationships that develop throughout their lifes, initially in the family sphere, then at school, in the community in which they live, at work, and in a multitude of other places and sectors of social organization. The relations that people establish and maintain, will structure the social sphere.

The network concept is inherent in our everyday life whether it is personal, whether it is organizational, since the interdependence, interaction and interrelation are inherent in all of us, while human beings. A network is a set of dyadic ties all of the same type, among a number of actors, that is, a set of individuals that relate to a particular purpose characterized by flows of information.

The methodology of social network analysis benefits from multiple influences, from the most varied scientific fields (anthropology, sociology, politics, psychology, mathematics, etc.) It is also apparent that, in various quadrants of society there are several networks. The social network analysis also points to a theoretical and methodological perspective that emphasizes, the study of relations between entities and objects of various natures, contributing to the understanding of complex problems, such as the integration of social structure (macro) and individual (micro).

Within the framework of social and organizational intervention, social networks are therefore very complex dynamics and processes that matter to discuss and decode at CIReS.

This Congress aims to meet, discuss, deepen and disseminate practical and dynamic use of social networks in social and organizational intervention projects, as well as, discuss, analyze and disseminate experiences and projects that have, as their base, the theory and methodology of social network analysis.

The aims are as follows:

• Promote the creation and strengthening of networks of cooperative work between social networking analysts;
• Give the possibility to master’s and doctoral students of the pole of Évora, and other poles of the CICS. NOVA, and other Portuguese and foreign Institutions of Higher Education, to undergo the critical sieve between peers and with experts in the field.
• Publicize work done by researchers of CICS. NEW in the area of Social Network Analysis (SNA)
• Publicize work done by researchers from other research centres in the area of SNA
• Deepen the theoretical and methodological discussion on the SNA
• Disseminate tools / study methodologies / application of SNA to multiple objects
• Discuss trends and technical and methodological challenges of SNA.
• Deepen theoretical and methodological discussion on social intervention projects based on social networks.
• Discuss social intervention and organizational practices

Target audience:

Analysts and researchers of social networks
Social intervention technicians
Students from various scientific areas
Teachers of the various levels of education
Technicians of social organizations (companies, NGOs, municipalities, etc.).

Organization:

CICS.NOVA – Pole of the University of Évora