Networks and Social Network Analysis in Public Administration and Policy
A Systems Perspective (with applications to environmental management, crisis governance and resilience planning)
17 September, 2025 - 13:30-16:00 - University of Antwerp, Stadcampus (S.C.001)
The Politics and Public Governance Research Group and the Chair of Crisis Governance, in collaboration with the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence, at the University of Antwerp are glad to invite you to a seminar with Prof. Naim Kapucu (University of Central Florida).
During the seminar, Prof. Naim Kapucu will explore the evolving role of networks and social network analysis (SNA) in public administration and policy. He will examine how intergovernmental, cross-sector, and interorganizational relationships shape collaborative public management, governance, and service delivery. Emphasizing both theoretical foundations and methodological approaches, the seminar will highlight the application of SNA in key policy domains such as human services, environmental management, crisis governance and resilience planning. By integrating network theory with empirical analysis, the presentation offers insights into how networked systems can enhance sustainability, adaptability, resilience, and performance in complex governance environments.
Prof. Naim Kapucu will discuss examples from his work, including the following papers:
- Kapucu, N., Dougherty, R., Ge, Y., & Zobel, C. (2023). The use of documentary data for network analysis in emergency and crisis management. Natural Hazards, 116, 425-445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05681-5
- Ge, Y., Kapucu, N., Zobel, C. W., Hasan, S., Hall, J. L, Wang, H., Wang, L., Martín, Y., Cechowski. M. (2023). Building community resilience through cross-sector partnerships and interdisciplinary research. Public Administration Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13697.
- National Academy of Public Administration (2023). Intergovernmental Models for the 21st Century. https://napawash.org/academy-studies/intergovernmental-governance-models-for-the-21st-century
Please send some questions for the author ahead of the seminar to chiara.russo@uantwerpen.be by September 5th.
Open to all – registration required: https://uantwerpen.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a8GdxVQAZy47AsC
Practicalities
- Date and time: Wednesday, 17 September 2025, 13:30 - 16:00 CET
- Venue: University of Antwerp, Stadscampus (city campus), Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerpen, room S.C.001
- Registration: The seminar is open to all, but registration is required. Register through the following form: https://uantwerpen.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a8GdxVQAZy47AsC
Bio
Dr. Naim Kapucu is Pegasus Professor of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where he also serves as Associate Dean of Research and Innovation in the College of Community Innovation and Education. He previously served as Director of UCF’s School of Public Administration. He is the founding director of the Center for Public and Nonprofit Management (CPNM) at UCF and a joint faculty member with the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs and the Center for Resilient, Intelligent, and Sustainable Energy Systems. A Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, Dr. Kapucu was awarded the Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Democratic Resilience, jointly hosted by Flinders University and Carnegie Mellon University Australia. Dr. Kapucu’s core research interests include network governance and leadership, decision-making in complex environments, organizational learning and design, and social inquiry and public policy. He has published extensively in the fields of public administration, network governance, and emergency and crisis management. His work appears in top-tier journals such as Public Administration Review, Administration & Society, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, The American Review of Public Administration, and Disasters. He teaches courses on network governance, leadership in public service, and research methodology. Dr. Kapucu has served and continues to serve on the editorial boards of several academic journals, including Public Administration Review. He received his Ph.D. in Public and International Affairs from the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh in 2003, and a Master of Public Policy and Management from the Heinz College of Carnegie Mellon University in 1997. (A longer biography and current CV are available at https://ccie.ucf.edu/profile/naim-kapucu)