ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses on the challenges of network research in the field of political communication online and on the potential a "flesh-and-bone" paradigm offers for research in the online sphere. Networks as fields of analysis are considered as specific methodological and mathematical research objects. The main theoretical premise, on social network analysis is based on: Social life is best understood not by looking at individual actors, but at the patterns of relations between the actors, individuals, organizations, or institutions. In political communication research, network theoretical thinking has gained ground with the advent of the Internet. The field of political media relations, network theory prompts research to focus on the bigger picture of media relations as a set of relations between the media and political actors, also between citizens, bloggers, and other gatekeepers. Structural network data allow for the identification of strong and weak ties between actors, for finding bridges, bonds, and structural holes.
