Harvard Department of Social Relations

In 1959 the great sociologist, Talcott Parsons, started a new department at Harvard called "The Department of Social Relations." It combined the disciplines of sociology, psychology and anthropology. Many of the people the department attracted are names that are well represented on this site: Harrison White, Mark Granovetter, Michael Schwartz, Ivan Chase, Kathleen Carley, Barry Wellman, Eric Leifer, Ron Breiger and many others. Stanley Milgram, who did the famous "obediance to authority" experiment and the "Small Worlds" experiment where we get the idea of "6 degress of separation" was at that department. One of the ledgendary courses was referred to as "socrel10 (sock - rell - 10)" and the comprehensive notes taken by Michael Schwartz. Michael Schwartz made these notes available. Harrison White also contributed his handouts on Coupling/Decoupling and Catnets to this site.

Social Relations 10 (Introduction to Social Relations) - Harrison White

• Social Relations 10 Notes - 1966 - Michael Schwartz (SUNY, Stony Brook)
• Notes on Coupling/DeCoupling - 1966 - Mimeograph of notes by Harrison C White (Columbia)
• Michael's notes on being TA for Soc Rel 10 - 1966 -. (Michael Schwartz)
• Notes on the Consituants of Social Structure , 1966 - Mimeography of notes by Harrison C White. This document revolutionized thinking about social structure.
• Stanley Milgram's Small Worlds Instrument (6 Degrees of Separation) - (contributed by Mark Granovetter)