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Cited by 76Social Capital and NetworksMigration and Labor DynamicsDiaspora, migration, transnational identity

Looking for Weak Ties: Using a Mixed Methods Approach to Capture Elusive Connections

Ryan, Louise·2016·The Sociological Review
DOI 10.1111/1467-954x.12395
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Abstract

Since Granovetter's path breaking work in the 1970s, there has been much discussion about the relevance of weak ties in finding new jobs and generally getting ahead in society. Subsequent research has found evidence to both support and challenge his original theory. However, concerns have also been expressed about the meaning of this concept. What exactly are ‘weak ties’, how are they created and what resources flow through them? In my previous work, I have distinguished between horizontal and vertical ties and the relationships and resources available within them. This paper goes further; drawing on new, mixed methods research with Polish migrants, I explore what types of social ties are useful in contexts of deskilling and finding jobs commensurate with qualifications. Interrogating the concept of ‘weak ties’, I argue that tie strength and ethnic composition are less important than relative social distance and willingness to share valuable resources. I propose that ‘strong ties' can also act as vertical bridges (or ladders), while ties which are too ‘weak’ may lack necessary trust to share latent resources. I consider the importance of a temporal perspective to explore the dynamism and life cycle of ties over time – as some lapse while others strengthen.

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  • Polish women in the UK may become more sociable and forge weak local ties to have a childcare safety net on site.

    “Polish women in the UK may become more sociable and forge weak local ties to have a childcare safety net on site.”

    From Tightening early childcare choices – gender and social class inequalities among Polish mothers in Germany and the UK (2018) · cites this paper as Ryan (2016)

    The Oral and Visual Methods section describes a study of Polish migrants in London, most of them women. From Latent to Realised Resources describes participants forming social connections, including through a child’s school, but the paper discusses those ties in relation to information and employment. The passages found do not support the claimed purpose of creating a local childcare safety net (no page numbers available). (LLM, conf=0.78)

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Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Boyd, M. (1989) 'Family and personal networks in international migration', International Migration Review 23 (3): 638-70.
  2. Clark, A. (2007) Understanding community: a review of networks, ties and contacts . ESRC National Centre for Research Methods working paper 9/07
  3. Freeman, L.C. (2000) Visualising Social Networks. Journal of Social Structure, 1 (1). http://www.cmu.edu/joss/content/articles/volume1/Freeman.html
  4. Geys B. and Z. Murdoch (2010) 'Measuring the Bridging versus bonding nature of social networks' Sociology , 44(3): 523-540
  5. Patulny R and G L Svendsen (2007) 'Exploring the social capital grid' International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy , 27 (1/2): 32-51
  6. Ryan, L., Sales, R., Tilki, M. and Siara, B., (2008), 'Social networks, social support and social capital: Polish migrants in London', Sociology, 42 (4): 672-690.
  7. Trevena, P. (2011) 'Why do highly educated migrants go for low-skilled jobs' in GrabowskaLusinska and Kuvik (eds) Mobility in Transition, Amsterdam University Press Uzzi, B. (1999) 'Embeddedness in the making of financial capital' American Sociological Review , 64: 481-505.

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Authors
Ryan, L.
Affiliations
Middlesex University London (GB)
Corresponding author
Ryan, Louise
ORCID
Ryan, Louise
Venue
The Sociological Review
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2016-07-11
Volume
64
Issue
4
Pages
951-969
ISSN
  • 0038-0261 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-954X
DOI
10.1111/1467-954x.12395
OpenAlex
W2498102315
Cited by
76
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1
FWCI
25.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • The Sociological Review (publishedVersion)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
School of Law at Middlesex University
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Capital and Networks
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Migration and Labor Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Diaspora, migration, transnational identity
Keywords
weak ties, Granovetter, social networks, Polish immigrants, job search, deskilling, social capital, tie strength, social distance, ethnic composition, trust, resource sharing, social ladder

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