Performing network theory? Reflexive relationship management on social network sites

Since personal networking has turned into an ever more important means to navigate through increasingly volatile markets for employment, reputation and information, making and breaking ties is no longer left to serendipity. Rather, social network sites (SNS) like LinkedIn or Twitter offer socio-technical tools to strategically manage and furnish relational embeddedness. SNS, as this chapter argues, do not only raise networking practices to a new level of reflexivity; SNS also contribute to the performativity of social network analysis. Theoretical models derived from the scientific analysis of networks increasingly inform the architecture of SNS algorithms and thus transform network practices. SNS, then, do not only allow to deliberately govern networks; they are also indicative of new ways how socio-technical devices and algorithms quasi-automatically govern practice. To substantiate this argument, the chapter examines pertinent scholarly publications that offer advice for online networking in order to identify the theoretical lines of reasoning which are mobilized to inform professional networking practices.