Cultural rules and norms shape social relationships, often in ways that are difficult to identify. Power, its location, and how it is exercised, can also be defined in cultural rules and norms. How cultural norms shape the exercise of power in social network is an area of study that poses significant challenges.
2-mode networks offer a potential approach. While the analysis of 2-mode networks is analysed as a single network, the data is constituted of multiple observations, which presumably follow the same cultural rules. The network structure may show evidence of how and where power is used, although an understanding of the cultural context would need to accompany the analysis. Two examples of 2-mode networks were power dynamics have clearly identifiable consequences on network formation are presented to illustrate this analysis.
The Southern Women dataset, collected by Davis, Gardner and Gardner (1941), is perhaps the most studied and influential 2-mode dataset. The matrix charts the attendance of 18 upper class white women across 14 social events reported on in the local newsletter. The utility of the dataset is evident in the clear groups that can be identified when mapping the interpersonal affiliation network. The context of the study provides clues as to why the groups exist: there were differences in status amongst upper class women which privileged “old money”, and cultural norms which dictated the interplay of social events.
The “Golden Circle” dataset, collected by Clancy, O’Conner and Dillon (2010), maps the interlocking directorates of Ireland’s 40 largest corporations circa 2005 to 2007. The data showed a network of 39 individuals holding 93 directorships, linking together 33 of the top 40 companies. Outside of the top 40 companies, this small pool of individuals held an additional 398 directorships. The concentration of power within the hands of a small group of people had a number of consequences, including excessive renumeration for directors (compared to the EU), and a severe gender imbalance among directors favouring men. The culture of minimal government regulation and oversight led to the formation of a classic “old boys” club; the backroom deals made by this club had significant impacts on the Irish economy when the global financial crisis hit.