Visualizing personal networks Claudia Aguilar Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona

Bosnia..? Despues_de_la_lluvia Terminological dissatisfaction Hegemonic discourse Practice/Analytical Categories New approach to overcome these categories

Identification Social-relational process Depends on context Diferenciate between auto- identification and identification by others PERSONAL NETWORKS

Previous research results Use of categories Discursive lines about the ontology of such categories Relation between use of categories, discourses and personal networks

Discourses-Identity-Network Ethnicist Clash of civilizations Multiethnic Cosmopolitan Essentialist identity Excluding categories Homogeneous networks Essentialist identity Excluding categories with some nuance More heterogeneous networks Multiple identity No excluding categories Heterogeneous networks

Conclusions …  We have found a relation between the discourse sustained by a person and the categories she/he uses to classify people and to identify him/herself.  We have also found a relationship between the composition of personal networks (and therefore everyday life relationships) and the ethnic discourses that are maintained

Conclusions … (ii)  Finally we have found that Bosnians play an important role in the network of multiethnic relationships, in which strong ties, surprisingly, are still very important.

Current research: Main Goal Analyse this identification complexity, understanding identification as a collective process in continuous negotiation through personal relationships in different contexts and situations.

Methodology Ethnographic work Everyday life Interviews Field notes Discourse Analysis Social Network Analysis Personal Networks questionnaire EGONET Personal Networks Analysis

EGONET: Personal Networks Questions about EGO 45 known people Questions about alters Who knows who?

Vizualization and discussion