Sociologist, Postdoctoral Scholar, Computational Social Scientist

About | Research | Teaching | Network Tutorials | CV | Visualising Grime

I study social structures, resources, and inequalities. As individuals interact, social structures emerge that both reflect and reproduce inequality. Who connects with whom is influenced by social characteristics and preferences for similarity, which mirror macro-patterns of social segregation. These ties may place individuals to more or less advantageous positions (operationalised in terms of centrality or peripherality within networks). Ties also channel the flow of resources, including social capital, which can shape opportunities such as education, jobs, and career advancement. My research examines how access to these resources is distributed unequally, and how networks themselves may perpetuate inequality. For example, in my recent article in Emerging Adulthood I show how family ties continue to provide social capital that supports young adults’ career development.

I investigate these processes across domains including family, sport, creative industries, and education. In each, cultural norms (e.g., gendered parenting roles) and institutional rules (e.g., competitive dynamics in music and roles in sports) condition how resources are exchanged and who benefits. By combining domain-specific theory with diverse methods—including social network analysis, statistical modeling, machine learning, and natural language processing—I explore how networks and group memberships shape trajectories of attainment, performance, and inequality. My work uses both original and secondary data and my cv reflects a collaborative, interdisciplinary agenda.

New to social network analysis? Or new to Data vis? Check out my coursebooks:

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• trleppar@ncsu.edu