A Social Network Analysis of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo

Abstract

This thesis combines social network analysis (SNA) with historical case studies and political science research to examine elite Chinese politics in the Chinese Communist Party s Politburo. Specifically, I develop models of the group dynamics based on academic theories using SNA methodologies. These academic theories are founded on analysis of the role of group dynamics within the Politburo political factionalism, individual ideology, and institutionalism and they assess how these dynamics are useful in explaining Politburo behavior. After developing models of the theories, I created an SNA observation of the current Politburo and then compared that network with these models in order to test which theory provides the best explanation or closest fit. My analysis suggests that a combination of institutionalism and personal ideology, as exemplified by the core leader dynamic, best explains current Politburo behavior.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA620447

Entities

People

  • Leo S. Gregory

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Economic Development
  • Globalization
  • Governments
  • Group Dynamics
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • New York
  • Observation
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Regression Analysis
  • Social Networks
  • Social Sciences
  • Sociology
  • Sociopolitics
  • United States

Readers

  • Computer Networking
  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Theoretical Analysis.