An Introduction to Network Analysis for Byzantinists

Network analysis allows researchers to model and visualize the connections and interactions between different entities (e.g., people, places, objects) in their research data. This online workshop will offer Byzantinists an introduction to network analysis and its use in historical disciplines, with a focus on Byzantine and medieval studies. Participants will gain an understanding of the basic concepts of network theory and explore projects employing network analysis and the choices that lay the foundation for the projects, including data modeling, methodology, and tools. During practical sessions, participants will learn how to format their own data for network analysis, create a database in Neo4j and query their data, interface their Neo4j database with other tools, and publish their network analysis.

This workshop is intended for those who have very little or no experience with network analysis.

Course Outline

• Monday, May 12, 10:00 am–12:00 pm (EDT): Network Analysis in Historical Disciplines with Christian Raffensperger
  This session will introduce the ways in which historical disciplines use networks and network analysis broadly and consider some existing projects. This introduction will be followed by a demonstration and discussion of the Russian Genealogical Database. The discussion will focus on the methodology for gathering and inputting data, as well as how the data is stored and utilized for its network analysis capabilities on the web.
• Monday, May 12, 2:00 pm–4:00 pm (EDT): Practical Session I: Data with Ryan Horne
  This session will focus on network analysis, network fundamentals, and data modeling for networks. Participants will learn how to transform their data into a format and style suitable for network analysis. Linked Open Data resources, vocabularies, and ontologies that can help top guide participants through the data modeling process will be introduced.
• Tuesday, May 13, 9:30 am–11:30 am (EDT): Network Analysis in Archaeology: Theory, Practice, and Applications (I) with Katerina Ragkou
  This session will explore the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of network analysis in archaeology, using case studies from the Eastern Mediterranean and the Peloponnese during the medieval period to illustrate its potential for revealing new insights into past societies.
• Tuesday, May 13, 2:00 pm–4:00 pm (EDT): Practical Session II: Neo4j Basics with Ryan Horne
  This session will begin by presenting an overview of the different tools and database options available for network analysis. Participants will then learn the basics of Neo4j and bring their data into the Neo4j environment.
• Wednesday, May 14, 9:30 am–11:30 am (EDT): Network Analysis in Archaeology: Theory, Practice, and Applications (II) with Katerina Ragkou
  This practical session will demonstrate how to build a network analysis database using data from an ongoing research project. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their own datasets and learn how to apply network analysis using Visone software for data visualization and analysis.
• Wednesday, May 14, 2:00 pm–4:00 pm (EDT): Practical Session III: Querying Your Data with Ryan Horne
  During this session, participants will continue to work with their Neo4j database, with an emphasis on creating queries. Participants will learn how to do graph traversals, how to identify different communities and subsets in their data, and how to perform complex operations.
• Thursday, May 15, 10am–12:30pm (EDT): Network Analysis and Prosopography with Zachary Chitwood
  This session will demonstrate both network analysis and prosopography through the case study of the MAMEMS (“Mount Athos in Medieval Eastern Mediterranean Society: Contextualizing the History of a Monastic Republic (ca. 850-1550)”) project. The project objectives include the construction of a prosopographical database containing all Mount Athos-related persons over the course of the Middle Ages. The session will treat problems of prosopography more generally and Byzantine prosopography in particular. Following this introduction, the specific challenges of creating an Athonite prosopography with source material that is unique both in its linguistic diversity (with substantial Greek, Slavonic, Georgian, and Ottoman material) and type (the largest surviving collection of commemorative lists in the premodern Orthodox world) will be discussed. The session will conclude with a live demonstration of the software OpenAtlas.
• Thursday, May 15, 2:00 pm–4:00 pm (EDT): Practical Session IV: More Complex Operations with Ryan Horne
  This session will continue the discussion of complex Neo4j and graph database operations, with an emphasis on spatial reasoning and analysis. It will conclude with an overview of types of software and other tools that can interface with Neo4j databases.
• Friday, May 16, 10:00 am–12:00 pm (EDT): Network Analysis and Art History with Alexander Brey
  This session will introduce participants to network analysis in art history through the case study of Manuscript Connections, a digital humanities project analyzing relationships among European medieval manuscripts. The discussion will focus on how Temporal Network Analysis and Similarity Metrics can reveal patterns of production, transmission, and reuse across time and space. Emphasis will be placed on the project's methods and, to a lesser extent, tools, including the use of Cytoscape and R for analyzing networks and calculating similarity metrics. While focused on medieval French, Flemish, and English manuscripts from an art historical perspective, the approaches presented are readily transferable.
• Friday, May 16, 2:00 pm–4:00 pm (EDT): Practical Session V: Publishing Your Network Analysis with Ryan Horne
  This session will focus on publishing a network analysis. Participants will discuss effective data visualization techniques for print and digital systems. Options for creating network interactions, embedding them into webpages, and using data repositories effectively will be presented.

Time Commitment
The time commitment for this workshop is 20.5 hours. Participants are expected to attend all sessions.

Workshop Checklist

• Computer or laptop.
• Stable internet connection.
• A second screen if possible. A second screen will allow you to follow the discussion and the training on one screen while you work on the other.
• Software pre-installed. A list of required software will be provided upon registration.
• Data! Additional information will be provided upon registration.

The workshop is limited to 15 participants. Registration is first come, first served.

REGISTRATION FOR THIS WORKSHOP CLOSES ON MAY 1, 2025.

Who is eligible?

• Graduate students and early career researchers (PhD received after May 2017) in the field of Byzantine studies. Students enrolled in graduate programs in North America and early career researchers working in North America will be given priority. Graduate students and early career researchers outside of North America will be placed on a waiting list and contacted if space is available.
• All participants must be BSANA members. If you are not already a BSANA member, please complete the BSANA Membership Form before registering for the workshop. Your membership status will be confirmed before your space in the workshop is confirmed.

 This workshop is part of the partnership between the Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture and the Byzantine Studies Association of North America to provide digital humanities training opportunities to graduate students and early career researchers.