ABSTRACT
Social network analysis is a powerful methodological tool for examining relationships and interactions in education research. In this chapter, we discuss traditional network approaches and argue that these can be used for critical education research, particularly for critical policy analysis. We define this application of network analysis, which we refer to as critical network analysis (CNA), and highlight its use in education and other fields to study policies and practices. We focus particularly on research that has examined power dynamics in social relationships, structural inequities by race and gender that are reproduced by social networks, and networks of elite actors that yield outsized influence in policy and other spheres. We also draw on work that has sought to highlight the strong networks and social capital that exist within marginalized communities, along with networks of community-based advocacy organizations that work toward more equitable education reforms. We argue that using social network analysis as a tool for critical analysis (through CAN) lends itself well to qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research undertaken to grasp power dynamics or to focus explicitly on issues of racial equity and justice at all levels of the educational system.
