Network(analysis) in the German human geography [Netzwerk(analys)e in der deutschen Humangeographie]

Abstract

Like any other academic discipline, geography aims at the production of knowledge, administration of inventories of existing knowledge as well as transfer and dissemination of disciplinary knowledge. If we understand knowledge as a communicative and cooperative process of exchange, then academic geography can be conceptualized as a knowledge network. Certainly, the concept of knowledge networks seems rather diffuse or at least difficult to grasp empirically. Based on the idea of Social Network Analysis (SNA), this paper suggests a way of approaching this ambiguous concept. The explorative Analysis investigates 121 full professors working in the field of human geography in Germany and specific links of scientific interaction between them. The following relations are explored: (1) citations, (2) co-publications, and (3) invitations to sessions of the biennial meeting of German geographers (Deutscher Geographentag). On the one hand, German academic geography serves as an example to examine the suitability of SNA to investigate disciplinary knowledge networks. On the other hand, the results can possibly serve as a basis to discuss content-related dimensions of the linkages of network processes and the production of knowledge within German academic geography.