Bio

I study the social and organizational dynamics of educational systems like schools, classrooms and universities. In particular, I have performed a series of studies on classroom organization and interaction; on the formation of adolescent relationships, social structures, and identities; on interdisciplinary collaboration and intellectual innovation; and on relational sociology. I have broad research interests and have been drawn into a variety of interdisciplinary collaborations with linguists and computer scientists. This in turn has led to studies of big data and methodological advances in social networks and language modeling.

Academic Appointments

Administrative Appointments

  • Director, Stanford Center for Computational Social Science (2012 - 2016)

Honors & Awards

  • Gould Award, American Journal of Sociology (2013-14)
  • Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Award, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2014-17)

Program Affiliations

  • Science, Technology and Society

Professional Education

  • PhD/MA, University of Chicago, Sociology, Sociology
  • BA, University of Chicago, Philosophy

Contact

  • mcfarland@stanford.edu
    University - Faculty Department: Graduate School of Education Position: Professor
    • School of Education
    • CERAS, Rm. 419
    • Stanford,  California  94305-3096 
    (650) 725-7412 (fax)

Additional Info

  • Mail Code: 3096
  • Profile:
    Professor in education and (by courtesy) sociology, business. Areas of study: networks, education, culture, interaction.

Links

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

I am currently engaged in several projects.
1. I am writing a textbook on Social Network Analysis in R.
2. I am writing up a series of papers on how micro-events in interaction relate to social networks.
3. However, the majority of my current research projects concern the sociology of science and research innovation.

2017-18 Courses

Stanford Advisees

All Publications

  • Ethnic Composition and Friendship Segregation: Differential Effects for Adolescent Natives and Immigrants AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY Smith, S., van Tubergen, F., Maas, I., McFarland, D. A. 2016; 121 (4): 1223-1272

    Abstract

    Ethnically diverse settings provide opportunities for interethnic friendship but can also increase the preference for same-ethnic friendship. Therefore, same-ethnic friendship preferences, or ethnic homophily, can work at cross-purposes with policy recommendations to diversify ethnic representation in social settings. In order to effectively overcome ethnic segregation, we need to identify those factors within diverse settings that exacerbate the tendency toward ethnic homophily. Using unique data and multiple network analyses, the authors examine 529 adolescent friendship networks in English, German, Dutch, and Swedish schools and find that the ethnic composition of school classes relates differently to immigrant and native homophily. Immigrant homophily disproportionately increases as immigrants see more same-ethnic peers, and friendship density among natives has no effect on this. By contrast, native homophily remains relatively low until natives see dense groups of immigrants. The authors' results suggest that theories of interethnic competition and contact opportunities apply differently to ethnic majority and minority groups.

    View details for Web of Science ID 000369717400006

  • Streams of Thought: Knowledge Flows and Intellectual Cohesion in a Multidisciplinary Era SOCIAL FORCES Rawlings, C. M., McFarland, D. A., Dahlander, L., Wang, D. 2015; 93 (4): 1687-1722

    View details for DOI 10.1093/sf/sov004

    View details for Web of Science ID 000355663700044

  • Network Ecology and Adolescent Social Structure AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL REVIEW McFarland, D. A., Moody, J., Diehl, D., Smith, J. A., Thomas, R. J. 2014; 79 (6): 1088-1121

    Abstract

    Adolescent societies-whether arising from weak, short-term classroom friendships or from close, long-term friendships-exhibit various levels of network clustering, segregation, and hierarchy. Some are rank-ordered caste systems and others are flat, cliquish worlds. Explaining the source of such structural variation remains a challenge, however, because global network features are generally treated as the agglomeration of micro-level tie-formation mechanisms, namely balance, homophily, and dominance. How do the same micro-mechanisms generate significant variation in global network structures? To answer this question we propose and test a network ecological theory that specifies the ways features of organizational environments moderate the expression of tie-formation processes, thereby generating variability in global network structures across settings. We develop this argument using longitudinal friendship data on schools (Add Health study) and classrooms (Classroom Engagement study), and by extending exponential random graph models to the study of multiple societies over time.

    View details for DOI 10.1177/0003122414554001

    View details for Web of Science ID 000345458400003

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC4271807

  • The Semiformal Organization ORGANIZATION SCIENCE Biancani, S., McFarland, D. A., Dahlander, L. 2014; 25 (5): 1306-1324

    View details for DOI 10.1287/orsc.2013.0882

    View details for Web of Science ID 000342281700002

  • Network Ecology and Adolescent Social Structure. Forthcoming, American Sociological Review McFarland, D. A., Moody, J., Diehl, D., Smith, J., Thomas, R. J. 2014
  • Encouraging Forum Participation in Online Courses with Collectivist, Individualist, and Neutral Motivational Framings. eLearning Papers Kizilcec, R., Schneider, E., Cohen, G., McFarland, D. A. 2014; 37
  • The Semi-Formal Organization Organization Science, Permalink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2013.0882 Biancani, S., Dahlander, L., McFarland, D. A. 2014
  • Hierarchical models for relational event sequences JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL PSYCHOLOGY DuBois, C., Butts, C. T., Mcfarland, D., Smyth, P. 2013; 57 (6): 297-309

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jmp.2013.04.001

    View details for Web of Science ID 000328712300004

  • Differentiating language usage through topic models POETICS McFarland, D. A., Ramage, D., Chuang, J., Heer, J., Manning, C. D., Jurafsky, D. 2013; 41 (6): 607-625

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.poetic.2013.06.004

    View details for Web of Science ID 000329558200003

  • Making the Connection: Social Bonding in Courtship Situations AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY McFarland, D. A., Jurafsky, D., Rawlings, C. 2013; 118 (6): 1596-1649

    View details for DOI 10.1086/670240

    View details for Web of Science ID 000321045300004

  • Transdisciplinary translational science and the case of preterm birth JOURNAL OF PERINATOLOGY Stevenson, D. K., Shaw, G. M., Wise, P. H., Norton, M. E., Druzin, M. L., Valantine, H. A., McFarland, D. A. 2013; 33 (4): 251-258

    Abstract

    Medical researchers have called for new forms of translational science that can solve complex medical problems. Mainstream science has made complementary calls for heterogeneous teams of collaborators who conduct transdisciplinary research so as to solve complex social problems. Is transdisciplinary translational science what the medical community needs? What challenges must the medical community overcome to successfully implement this new form of translational science? This article makes several contributions. First, it clarifies the concept of transdisciplinary research and distinguishes it from other forms of collaboration. Second, it presents an example of a complex medical problem and a concrete effort to solve it through transdisciplinary collaboration: for example, the problem of preterm birth and the March of Dimes effort to form a transdisciplinary research center that synthesizes knowledge on it. The presentation of this example grounds discussion on new medical research models and reveals potential means by which they can be judged and evaluated. Third, this article identifies the challenges to forming transdisciplines and the practices that overcome them. Departments, universities and disciplines tend to form intellectual silos and adopt reductionist approaches. Forming a more integrated (or 'constructionist'), problem-based science reflective of transdisciplinary research requires the adoption of novel practices to overcome these obstacles.

    View details for DOI 10.1038/jp.2012.133

    View details for Web of Science ID 000316833300001

    View details for PubMedID 23079774

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC3613736

  • Ties That Last: Tie Formation and Persistence in Research Collaborations over Time ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCE QUARTERLY Dahlander, L., McFarland, D. A. 2013; 58 (1): 69-110

    View details for DOI 10.1177/0001839212474272

    View details for Web of Science ID 000318801100004

  • Social Networks Research in Higher Education. Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research Biancani, S., McFarland, D. A. 2013; 28: 151-215
  • Hierarchical Models for Relational Event Sequences. Journal of Mathematical Psychology Dubois, C., Butts, C. T., Mcfarland, D. A., Smyth, P. 2013; 57 (6): 607-625
  • Differentiating Language Usage Through Topic Models. Poetics McFarland, D. A., Manning, C. D., Ramage, D., Chuang, J., Heer, J., Jurafsky, D. 2013; 41 (6): 607-625
  • Ties that Last: A Longitudinal Study of Tie Formation and Persistence. Administrative Science Quarterly Dahlander, L., McFarland, D. A. 2013; 58 (1): 69-110
  • Detecting friendly, flirtatious, awkward, and assertive speech in speed-dates COMPUTER SPEECH AND LANGUAGE Ranganath, R., Jurafsky, D., McFarland, D. A. 2013; 27 (1): 89-115

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.csl.2012.01.005

    View details for Web of Science ID 000311524800006

  • Making the Connection: Social Bonding in Courtship Situations. American Journal of Sociology McFarland, D. A., Jurafsky, D., Rawlings, C. 2013; 118 (6): 1596-1649
  • Measurement error in network data: A re-classification SOCIAL NETWORKS Wang, D. J., Shi, X., McFarland, D. A., Leskovec, J. 2012; 34 (4): 396-409

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.socnet.2012.01.003

    View details for Web of Science ID 000313304100004

  • Classroom Ordering and the Situational Imperatives of Routine and Ritual SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION Diehl, D., McFarland, D. A. 2012; 85 (4): 326-349

    View details for DOI 10.1177/0038040712452093

    View details for Web of Science ID 000309140200002

  • Measurement error in social network data: A re-classification. Social Networks Wang, D. J., Shi, X., McFarland, D. A., Leskovec, J. 2012; 34 (4)
  • Detecting Friendly, Flirtatious, Awkward, and Assertive Speech in Speed-Dates. Computer Speech and Language Ranganath, R., Jurafsky, D., McFarland, D. A. 2012; 27 (1): 89-115
  • Classroom Ordering and the Situational Imperatives of Routine and Ritual. Sociology of Education Diehl, D., McFarland, D. A. 2012; 85 (4): 326-349
  • Transdisciplinary Translational Science and The Case of Preterm Birth. The Journal of Perinatology Stevenson, D. K., Shaw, G. M., Wise, P. H., Norton, M. E., Druzin, M. L., McFarland, D. A. 2012: 1-8
  • Influence flows in the academy: Using affiliation networks to assess peer effects among researchers SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH Rawlings, C. M., McFarland, D. A. 2011; 40 (3): 1001-1017

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2010.10.002

    View details for Web of Science ID 000289497100021

  • The Ties that Influence: How Social Networks Channel Faculty Grant Productivity. Social Science Research Rawlings, C., McFarland, D. A. 2011; 40: 1001-1017
  • Network Search: A New Way of Seeing the Education Knowledge Domain TEACHERS COLLEGE RECORD Mcfarland, D., Klopfer, E. 2010; 112 (10): 2664-2702

    View details for Web of Science ID 000284327900008

  • Toward a Historical Sociology of Social Situations AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY Diehl, D., Mcfarland, D. 2010; 115 (6): 1713-1752

    View details for Web of Science ID 000278374600002

  • Network Search: Utilizing Technology and the Sociology of Knowledge to Revolutionize the Field of Education. Teachers College Record McFarland, D. A., Klopfer, E. 2010; 112 (10): 8-9
  • Towards a Historical Sociology of Situations. Towards a Historical Sociology of Situations. Diehl, D., McFarland, D. A. 2010; 115 (6): 1713-1752
  • Organization by Design: Supply- and Demand-side Models of Mathematics Course Taking SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION McFarland, D. A., Rodan, S. 2009; 82 (4): 315-343

    View details for Web of Science ID 000272224000002

  • Inside Student Government: The Variable Quality of High School Student Councils TEACHERS COLLEGE RECORD McFarland, D. A., Starmanns, C. 2009; 111 (1): 27-54

    View details for Web of Science ID 000269711000002

  • Inside Student Government. Teachers College Record McFarland, D. A., Starmanns, C. 2009; 11 (1): 27-54
  • Organization by Design: Supply- and Demand-Side Models of Math Careers. Sociology of Education McFarland, D. A., Klopfer, E. 2009; 82 (4): 315-343
  • Curricular flows: Trajectories, turning points, and assignment criteria in high school math careers SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION McFarland, D. A. 2006; 79 (3): 177-205

    View details for Web of Science ID 000240413400001

  • Bowling young: How youth voluntary associations influence adult political participation AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL REVIEW McFarland, D. A., Thomas, R. J. 2006; 71 (3): 401-425

    View details for Web of Science ID 000238812900003

  • Curricular Flows: Trajectories, Turning Points, and Assignment Criteria in High School Math Careers. American Sociological Review McFarland, D. A., Thomas, R. 2006; 71 (3): 177-205
  • The Art and Science of Dynamic Network Visualization. Journal of Social Structure, Permalink: http://www.cmu.edu/joss/content/articles/volume7/deMollMcFarland/ Bender-deMoll , S., McFarland, D. A. 2006; 7 (2)
  • Motives and contexts of identity change: A case for network effects 98th Annual Meeting of the American-Sociological-Association McFarland, D., Pals, H. SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC. 2005: 289–315

    View details for Web of Science ID 000236530500001

  • Dynamic network visualization AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY Moody, J., McFarland, D., Bender-deMoll, S. 2005; 110 (4): 1206-1241

    View details for Web of Science ID 000229472000011

  • Dynamic Network Visualization. American Journal of Sociology Moody, J., McFarland, D. A., Bender-deMoll, S. 2005; 110 (4): 1206-1241
  • Motives and Contexts of Identity Change: A Case for Network Effects. Social Psychology Quarterly McFarland, D. A., Pals, H. 2005; 68 (4): 289-315
  • Resistance as a social drama: A study of change-oriented encounters AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY McFarland, D. A. 2004; 109 (6): 1249-1318

    View details for Web of Science ID 000221651700001

  • Resistance as a Social Drama – A Study of Change-Oriented Encounters. American Journal of Sociology McFarland, D. A. 2004; 109 (6): 1249-1318
  • When tensions mount: Conceptualizing classroom situations and the conditions of student-teacher conflict Conference on Stability and Change in American Education McFarland, D. A. ELIOT WERNER PUBLIATIONS INC. 2003: 127–150

    View details for Web of Science ID 000189466700008

  • Student resistance: How the formal and informal organization of classrooms facilitate everyday forms of student defiance AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY McFarland, D. A. 2001; 107 (3): 612-678

    View details for Web of Science ID 000175830600003

  • Student Resistance: How the Formal and Informal Organization of Classrooms Facilitate Everyday Forms of Student Defiance. American Journal of Sociology McFarland, D. A. 2001; 107 (3): 612-678