Speaker:

Jiamou Liu (Senior Lecturer, The University of Auckland)

Time:

• 16:20-17:20 (Time in Beijing)
• 21:20-22:20 (Time in Auckland)
• April 29, 2022 (Friday)

Venue:

B1-518B, Research Building 4

Abstract:

This talk discusses the algorithmic processes of creating ties in a social network. We view a social network as a graph where nodes represent agents and edges represent ties that allow direct interactions between two agents. The establishment of ties are important to the social network in different perpectives.
From the perspective of a single agent, creating ties enables an agent to gain centrality and thus a more advantageous position in the social network.
From the perspective of groups of agents, creating ties enhances interactions and resolves differences, thereby facilitating the emergence of “global norm”, i.e., unity of action among the agents. From the perspective of the entire network, creating ties fill the so-called “structural holes” and dissolves the community structure. In this talk, we will introduce tools to mathematically capture all three perspectives and discuss the corresponding algorithmic problems.