CSC200Y: Social and Economic Networks: Models and Applications
The rapid growth of the internet, social networks, online recommendation systems, online markets and auctions, crowdsourcing, and related mechanisms has made the social and economic lives of many individuals more tightly interconnected than ever. There is a growing appreciation that the speed at which knowledge, markets and influence evolve and spread require new models and methods to properly understand the emerging phenomena that result. These phenomena involve graphical networks, incentives and group aggregate behaviour. This interdisciplinary course is an introduction to the interaction of the diverse computational, mathematical, sociological and economic systems that underlie modern society.
CSC200Y provides an informal, yet rigourous treatment of a variety of topics, introducing relevant background in graph theory, social network formation, incentives and game theory, and providing exposure to the relevant mathematical and informal computational tools required to analyze these network phenomena. Applications include: structural analysis of social networks, matching markets, web search, online advertising, network externalities, tipping points, information cascades, epidemics, small worlds, prediction markets, and voting theory, among others.
CSC200Y is a full-year course intended for a broad range of students in the mathematical, social, physical and life sciences. It requires no "programming background" and has no university-level prerequisites.
Important Announcement:
There will be a quesiton on social-affiliation networks on the final exam. Please consult with updated lecture notes of Lecture 45 for the scope of the exam.
Instructors
| Allan Borodin | ||
| Email: bor@cs.toronto.edu | ||
| Phone: 416-978-6416 | ||
| Office: SF2303B | ||
| Office Hours: Tuesday 2:00-3:00PM; or by appt. |
Class Schedule and Logistics
Lectures: Mon. and Weds., 3:00-4:00PM, Room SS1069
Tutorials: Fri., 3:00-4:00PM, Rooms: SS1069, SS1088 (see the allocation rule below)
We reserve the right to sometimes switch the time for a lecture and tutorial.
A detailed schedule of lecture topics, lecture reading and lecture slides will be made available, and updated on the Lecture Slides, Readings, Online Notes page. Lecture slides from past classes will be posted here, typically shortly after class. Please keep a close eye on this space to see what readings from the text (or other materials) you are reponsible for before class. Lecture slides should not be used as a substitute for attending lectures and taking notes. And they do not take the place of reading the assigned sections in the text.
Further Details
The navigation links at the top-left of the page will direct you to further relevant information about the course. Of special interest is the course information sheet (PDF), which is also available on the Course Organization Page. Other relevant links:
- Course Organization Page (Grading Scheme, etc.)
- Textbook and other resources
- Lecture schedule, readings and slides
- Tutorials and TAs
- Assignments
- Tests
- Policies: Academic Misconduct, Remarking, and Late Policies
- Communication: Getting in touch with the Instructors and TAs
- Computing Disciplies Facility (CDF)
- Marks
- Discussion board
Announcements
Most announcements will be posted on the course discussion board. However, important announcements will also be listed here.
- Tutorial Section 1: SS1069. Attend if you sit on the north side of the lecture room (on the instructor's left as he faces the class)
- Tutorial Section 2: SS1088. Attend if you sit on the south side of the lecture room (on the instructor's right as he faces the class)