ORF378 Networks back to homepage

Course description:

This course showcases how networks are widespread in society, technology, and nature, via a mix of theory and applications. It demonstrates the importance of understanding network effects when making decisions in an increasingly connected world. Four main parts of the course are

1.

Introduction to graph theory and network structure

2.

Intrduction to game theory and strategic interactions on networks

3.

Dynamic on networks: modelling evolving processes

4.

Modelling large scale realistic networks with random graphs

The applications include social networks, transportation networks, internet, innovation and disease spread, and others

The class is graded based on the final exam, the midterm, homeworks and project reports.

---

Materials:

The main recommended textbook is

[E&K]

D. Easley, J. Kleinberg, Networks, Crowds, and Markets: reasoning about highly connected world, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2010

This textbook provides additional background information, details and examples to complement the class material. However, it does not contain all the topics and definitions covered in class. Other helpful references include

[N]

M.E.J. Newman, Networks. An introduction. Oxford University Press, 2010

[K&P]

A. R. Karlin, Y. Peres Game theory. Alive. Published by AMS, 2016

[B]

A.-L. Barabasi, Network science. online textbook

Finally, a variety of supplementary notes on particular class topics is available due to the amazing help of teaching assistants, including

-

On on friendship paradox

-

On on centrality measures

-

On n computing pure and mixed Nash equilibria

-

On on best response dynamic and potential functions

-

On on random graph models

---

Tentative list of topics with references:

References to the textbooks are denoted as in the list above (e.g., [E&K] - Easley and Kleinberg, ...)