Networked LIVES

Social network analysis has grown tremendously across a wide array of disciplines and is now regarded as a roadmap in strengthening links with the life-course perspective. ‘Linked lives’ are often cited as a key principle of life-course theory, but there is still much to learn about the way these links matter for one’s life course. Network theory refines our understanding of the properties of these links, their emergence as structures in daily life, and the mechanisms underlying the inequalities that arise from social relationships. This paper clarifies why networks can be conceptualised as mesolevel structures that bridge the micro-macro gap. It thus addresses four processes of particular interest for the integration of life-course and network research:(a) the problem of tie formation; (b) the activation of ties as social capital; (c) their resilience through segments of a lifecourse; and finally, (d) the problem of their loss. In so doing, we highlight innovative approaches for each of these issues to propose a research agenda, that we have labelled ‘Networked Lives’, which underlines promising avenues for advancing the integration of these two important fields in the social sciences.