A Social Network Analysis of Conflict Structure after Great Disaster: A Case Study of Mt. Umyeon Landslide in South Korea

Social Network Analysis (SNA) has emerged as a major technique in the field of conflict resolution and disaster management over the last decade, and efforts are made to manage the conflicts that arise from great disasters. This study explores key actors that can be local or central governments or professionals, as well as their roles in successful conflict resolution in the context of disaster using SNA. A snowball sampling technique is employed and the stakeholders of the ongoing Mt. Umyeon landslide conflict in Seoul, South Korea are recruited for face-to-face interviews and surveys. This research is comprised of two parts; one is conflict assessment, which includes identifying stakeholders and recognizing conflict issues. The other is analysis of two conflict structures, among stakeholders and among conflict issues. Specifically, the conflict structures are analyzed by measuring density, centrality, cliques, and structural equivalence using NetMiner 4- an analytical tool recently developed in Korea. Finally, with the results from the analyses, the author presents five strategies and the roles to be played by key actors for successful conflict resolution of the Mt. Umyeon landslide case.