IRE and NICAR are beginning to more deeply explore social network analysis for visualizing and diagramming relationships between individuals, businesses and institutions. It's a new approach for journalists, but business consultants, law enforcement agencies and public health investigators have used this approach for decades. In 2003, The Washington Post used social network analysis to report on a group of Los Angeles-area language schools that appeared to be "visa mills" for foreign students.
For more information and a list of Web links and tipsheets on this emerging technique, go to www.ire.org/sna.