The Human Network

A fresh and intriguing look at how our "hidden positions" in various social structures, or human networks, shape how we think and behave, how our very outlook on life is formed--by a distinguished professor of economics at Stanford University. Inequality, social immobility, and political polarization are but a few crucial phenomena driven by the inevitability of social structures. Social structures determine who has power and influence, can explain why people fail to assimilate basic facts, and can help us understand patterns of contagion--from the spread of disease to financial crises. Despite their primary role in shaping our lives, human networks are often overlooked when we try to account for our most important political and economic behaviors and trends. This book illuminates the complexity of the social networks in which we are positioned, sometimes unwittingly, and can help us to better undertstand why we are who we are as individuals. Ranging across disciplines--psychology, behavioral economics, sociology, and business--and rich with historical analogies and anecdotes, The Human Network provides an eye-opening and fascinating account of what can drive success or failure in life.