The Geography, Structure and Evolution of Infrastructure Networks in Europe

Abstract

In recent years, network science has entered in virtually every scientific discipline. Some even speak of the “new science of networks” causing a scientific revolution across all disciplines. Also in Geography and Urban Studies, interest in network analysis has increased. This interest is understandable since most networks have a geographical structure, with nodes being located in space and links providing connections across space. This study positions itself at the interface of Social Network Analysis, Evolutionary Economic Geography and Spatial Analysis, with the purpose to better understand the spatial characteristics of urban networks, particularly, infrastructure networks. The overall aim of this study is to understand the configuration of infrastructure networks in Europe and the effect of their structure on regional performance. In this thesis I attempt to demonstrate that network analysis is a powerful tool, perfectly suitable for geography and particularly for the study of urban networks. Integrating spatial analysis tools with social network analysis brings a new and more complete perspective on infrastructure networks, both theoretically and methodologically. To this end, this study provides a large palette of possible methods which altogether contribute to a deeper understanding of the “Geography of networks”.