This dissertation analyzes the geography of information in the 21st century where BigData, social networks, user generated production of content and geography combine to create new and complex patterns of space, context and sociability. Both online and offline, social networks are creating a space that simultaneously unifies individuals and identifies distinct differences in their patterns and their relationships to space. Using methodologies derived from spatial analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), and Social Network Analysis (SNA), this dissertation identifies how Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) both mimic and bolster existing social structures and allow individuals to extend their activities into flows between non-contiguous spaces. Simultaneously it demonstrates how the adoption of user-generated geographic information has not been uniform. Instead it has resulted in an uneven distribution of content and more nuanced digital divides. Although geographically uneven, social structures developed through online networks of user-generated content are most effective at transmitting information at a local level. This dissertation provides a comprehensive examination of online networks and representations of the GeoWeb. It repudiates previous assumptions that online content provides liberation and collaboration among users without regard to geographic constraints and demonstrates the locally constrained nature social networks and the demographically constrained nature of geographic information.

Abstract Background: Networks with closed structures may lead to a scarcity of diversified norms which may leave an individual with only negative norms to be influenced by. Trust, relationship quality and social support are also examples of characteristics which may affect the adoption of health behaviors.                                                                                           Aims: To study whether there are any associations between network closure as well as relationship content (trust, relationship quality, social support) and the use of cannabis as well as the frequency of binge drinking, and how these associations are interacted by other factors.  Method: Logistic regression analyses were carried out to calculate the crude and adjusted odds ratios for 19-years old young adults in Sweden (n=2,942). Interaction analyses were also performed.                                                                                                                          Results: Individuals in high closure networks had a higher tendency to binge drink frequently. Individuals that in general are unhealthy, have many smoking friends and who are males had a higher propensity to both use cannabis and to binge drink when included in high closure networks.                                                                                                                      Conclusion: Individuals may be affected negatively by being included in networks with closed structures – some more than other − which is possibly mediated by the types of norms that are available.

Since households and businesses alike obtained the high-speed Internet service of broadband, the Internet has become integral to daily life in the 21st century. Advancements in information and Internet technology has led to the conception of novel internet- enabled applications such as, Online Social Networks (OSNs). Since the turn of the twenty first century fast-developing OSNs such as, Twitter and Facebook have become essential communication channels that people are using to develop their online personal and professional networks online. A recent phenomenon that is worrying countries around the globe is an ageing population. Due to recent improvements in the quality of life and advances in medicine, individuals are achieving longer life spans. Given the fact that older adults are also experiencing loneliness and depression, a recent solution to reduce this problem is the use of OSNs. Using these reasons as motivation, the aim of this research is to identify and understand the factors driving or inhibiting the adoption, use and diffusion of OSNs within the older population (50+) in UK households. In order to achieve this aim the Model of Online Social Networking (MOSN) was conceptually developed. Drawing upon the attitudinal, normative and control constructs from the leading Information Systems (IS) theories of the Diffusion of Innovations theory (DOI), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Model of Adoption of Technology in Households (MATH) and the E-Services Adoption Model selected constructs were identified and formed. To achieve the aim, the conceptual framework (MOSN – Model of Online Social Networking) was initially empirically validated using primary data. A quantitative approach involving a small-scale online pilot survey (n-252) and a wide-scale online survey (n-1080) were used for this purpose. Findings revealed that that older individuals will adopt Internet technologies if technology-facilitating conditions such as ‘anytime access’ to Internet capable devices and a fast reliable Internet connection had significant positive effects on OSN intention. In terms of influences of peers, it was revealed that older individuals do consider and act upon the views of members in one’s social circle. Most significantly, the consequences of older adults efforts to preserve their own privacy enforces a vast majority of non-adopters from not taking part in the OSN uptake. In terms of diffusion it was found that messages about OSNs conveyed through media channels: TV, newspapers and magazines are having a negative impact on older adults intention to adopt OSNs. As little is known of the underlying factors effecting older individuals adoption or non-adoption and diffusion of OSNs this research contributes to an emerging body of knowledge through the identification of empirically supported factors found to be significantly influencing UK older adults decision making regarding OSN technology adoption. For those participants currently using OSNs an in-depth understanding of usage behavior is presented. Importantly this research addresses a gap in research relating to the household adoption of OSNs in older adults in the UK. Due to the limitations of time, finance and manpower research findings could not be nationally representative of the UK are only representative of a single group of society residing in an affluent area of the UK.

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This thesis examines the ecology, parasites and pathogens of three insectivorous bat species in Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire; Myotis nattereri (Natterer’s bat), M. daubentonii (Daubenton’s bat) and Plecotus auritus (Brown long-eared bat). The population structure was assessed by monitoring associations between ringed individuals, utilising recent advances in social network analysis. Populations of both M. daubentonii and M. nattereri were found to subdivide into tight-knit social groups roosting within small areas of a continuous woodland (average minimum roost home range of 0.23km2 and 0.17km2 respectively). If this population structure is a general attribute of these species it may make them more sensitive to small scale habitat change than previously thought and has implications for how diseases may spread through the population. M. daubentonii had a strong preference for roosts close to water, away from woodland edge and in areas with an easterly aspect. The factors driving roost choice in M. nattereri and P. auritus remain elusive. The segregation of M. daubentonii into bachelor and nursery colonies was not a result of the exclusion of males from roosts close to water by females, or variation in microclimate preferences between the sexes, as was predicted. Body condition (weight/forearm length) was correlated with host characteristics including age and reproductive status, and weather variables. Astroviruses and Coronaviruses, which have characteristics typical of zoonotic viruses, were identified in UK bat species for the first time. Coronaviruses identified formed species-specific clades while Astroviruses were highly diverse. Though not closely related to human viruses these are potential zoonotic diseases of the future. Models of Coronavirus and ectoparasite distribution suggest individual attributes (e.g. sex and age) and population structure (e.g. the formation of nursery and bachelor colonies) are important predictors of parasite and pathogen prevalence. This study characterises a system that offers many opportunities for future research including studies of sociality, disease modelling and conservation management.

This thesis describes research into the facilitation of mediated communication of health updates and support needs across the social network, on behalf of individuals experiencing acute or chronic health problems. This led to the user-centred design, development and evaluation of a prototype software tool. Investigatory applied research was conducted with the parents of sick newborn infants who were (or had previously been) cared for in a Neonatal Unit, and their social networks of family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. The thesis makes contributions to knowledge within Social Networks, Health Informatics, Adaptive Systems and User Modelling. The user-centred research was conducted using a Grounded Theory approach, progressively focussing on developing themes. An iterative approach was taken to evaluation of the resulting theory. In the Social Networks domain, a novel, intuitive mechanism for capturing the membership and structure of an individual’s personal social network has been defined and developed, grounded in the work of evolutionary anthropologist Robin Dunbar. Use of the highly visual mechanism requires low levels of literacy and computer skills. It is cross-culturally applicable, and makes no prior assumptions about an individual’s relationships. In the domains of Health Informatics, Adaptive Systems and User Modelling, a model has been defined for adaptive information sharing across the personal social network. This model provides a number of new insights about information sharing choices made by an individual experiencing a health crisis (the ego) and their supporters (alters).

This research examines how social networking fosters the mobility of young people in a rural Spain. Generally, rural areas have been overlooked in the discourse on Globalization and Network Society, which is the foundation of the concept of “linked city”. Although many scholars have highlighted the direct link between the increase in the modes of communication of people and the increase of any kind of interaction, face-to-face included, it is necessary to stress that most of these studies are conducted in urban context where a certain grade of efficient transport exists. This study provides an approach to the impact of mediated communication on the lives of people in villages. Based on the concept of Digital Natives this study addresses the Social Network use of young people in a determined rural area in Spain and its correlation with the aim of mobility of the respondents. The results bring to light a certain degree of correlation between the increase of interaction via the Internet and the wish of mobility. Besides, this study uncovers a transportation shortage among locations in this rural area that forces young people to reduce the face-to-face interactions around specific nodes (e.g. High School or a near big city). Finally this study stresses the need for improvement of the transportation networks in terms of cost, flexibility, functionality and reach among rural population in order to avoid a cultural, economic and social backwardness in comparison to urban environments.

This study bridges the narrow divide between collaboration theory and networking and views organizations as a source of collaborative processes. Social network analysis is applied to determine how the Los Angeles Terrorism Early Warning Group (TEW) evolved from a small group of actors to a diverse, county-wide network bridging public-private, local-state-federal, and functional divides. The TEW demonstrates an example of organizational problem solving where a network facilitated collaboration in a wickedly complex and uncertain environment. The network's consensus-based innovation, collaborative processes, and meta-leadership helped the network evolve. These factors strengthened the collaborative ethos of the network and set the stage for success as the network meets current and future challenges. The TEW's bottom-up, consensus-based network expansion contrasts sharply with top-down collaborative approaches, such as the creation of the National Counterterrorism Center and Department of Homeland Security. Lessons from the TEW's well-paced evolution provide insight into how to facilitate collaborative action and build collaborative capacity for the future.

Our daily online conversations with friends, family, colleagues, and strangers weave an intricate network of interactions. From these networked discussions emerge themes and topics that transcend the scope of any individual conversation. In turn, these themes direct the discourse of the network and continue to ebb and flow as the interactions between individuals shape the topics themselves. This rich loop between interpersonal conversations and overarching topics is a wonderful example of a complex system: the themes of a discussion are more than just the sum of its parts. Some of the most socially relevant topics emerging from these online conversations are those pertaining to racial justice issues. Since the shooting of Black teenager Michael Brown by White police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, the protest hashtag #BlackLivesMatter has amplified critiques of extrajudicial shootings of Black Americans. In response to #BlackLivesMatter, other online users have adopted #AllLivesMatter, a counter-protest hashtag whose content argues that equal attention should be given to all lives regardless of race. Together these contentious hashtags each shape clashing narratives that echo previous civil rights battles and illustrate ongoing racial tension between police officers and Black Americans. These narratives have taken place on a massive scale with millions of online posts and articles debating the sentiments of "black lives matter" and "all lives matter." Since no one person could possibly read everything written in this debate, comprehensively understanding these conversations and their underlying networks requires us to leverage tools from data science, machine learning, and natural language processing. In Chapter 2, we utilize methodology from network science to measure to what extent #BlackLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter are "slacktivist" movements, and the effect this has on the diversity of topics discussed within these hashtags. In Chapter 3, we precisely quantify the ways in which the discourse of #BlackLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter diverge through the application of information-theoretic techniques, validating our results at the topic level from Chapter 2. These entropy-based approaches provide the foundation for powerful automated analysis of textual data, and we explore more generally how they can be used to construct a human-in-the-loop topic model in Chapter 4. Our work demonstrates that there is rich potential for weaving together social science domain knowledge with computational tools in the study of language, networks, and social movements.

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