3.3. Discussions

Number 2; structural equivalents or position and role what is that? The 2 people they do not interact with each other or they may not know each other at all, but they belong to same position like in a hospital, 2 doctors, they may not meet to know each other, or they may not know actually, but they have a same position that they are a doctor in a same hospital, the hospital is very big so, they have same role and same positions.

The concept of structural equivalence refers to people who occupy similar social positions and roles, even if they do not directly interact. For example, two doctors working in a large hospital may have never met or communicated, yet they both belong to the same professional category: doctor. This shared status means they have common responsibilities and training, creating a sense of alignment in their professional lives.

Think of structural equivalence like two players on a soccer team. They may never practice together but wear the same jersey and share the same goal of winning the match. They contribute equally to the team's success, even without direct collaboration.

Then people can also indirectly observe each other and compare each other and collect informations from them okay, in directly or maybe you can imagine that students in a school a researchers in IIT Roorkee, so being a they do not know each other but being in same institution in IIT Roorkee gives them a kind of same kind of socialization or training to groom up to get some kind of informations okay.

Indirect observation is another critical factor in social networking. People can learn from others in similar roles or positions by simply being part of the same environment. For instance, students in a university setting like IIT Roorkee may not know each other personally, but they share educational experiences and opportunities to acquire knowledge. This shared environment helps foster an informal exchange of ideas and learning.

Imagine a classroom filled with students working on different projects but sharing the same resources. Although they don’t collaborate directly, they might pick up techniques or tips from one another by observing how others tackle their work. This indirect learning helps enhance their skills collectively.

So, like here you can imagine that this is a community or society network total Y, there are five actors so, we can see the role here like A and B, they do not have direct relationship with each other, but they belong to one group why; because A and B have same interrelationship with C and D like both A; A has a relationship with C and D similarly, B has a relationship with C and D, they are not connected with any other actors in this network.

In social networks, individuals may not directly know each other, yet they can belong to the same group. In this example, A and B do not interact directly, but they share common connections with C and D. This illustrates the importance of mutual relationships in forming a social group, even when not everyone is directly linked.

Think of a family reunion. You might not know every cousin there, but if you both have the same grandparents, you are part of the same family network. You share an indirect relationship through your grandparents, making you part of the same familial group despite a lack of direct interaction.

So, now we have 3 kinds of groups; one is cohesive, one is structurally equivalents, there is same competition position and roles and the question of spatially distribution.

In social dynamics, we can categorize groups into three types: cohesive groups, structurally equivalent groups, and spatial groups. Cohesive groups are tightly knit with strong interactions. Structurally equivalent groups share positions but might not interact. Spatial groups consist of people who live or work near one another and influence each other’s behaviors and attitudes, contributing to socialization.

Consider a neighborhood. Cohesive groups might be families who frequently gather for barbeques (strong connections), whereas structurally equivalent groups might consist of families in different areas who each live on the same street but rarely interact. Then there are spatial groups where individuals influence each other just by living close, like neighbors discussing local events or shared facilities.

Now, we have also need to collect 3 kinds of informations or informations through 3 kinds of activities; one is hearing, one is observations, one is discussions. The question is as an individual, from where I should go to collect which kind of informations?

Collecting information involves three primary methods: hearing, observing, and discussing. Hearing involves informal conversations or rumors. Observing encompasses watching behaviors or actions within a community. Discussions are more in-depth exchanges of ideas or experiences. Each source has its own strengths and can provide different types of insights depending on the context.

Imagine preparing for a trip. You might hear about a destination from friends (hearing), look at travel blogs or videographers (observing), and engage in conversations with friends about their experiences at that place (discussions). Each of these methods enriches your perspective and understanding, preparing you for a well-informed journey.

This is Bangladesh, as I said is highly contaminated by arsenic especially, the coastal areas and also water salinity issue and we conducted the survey in a small area, city, suburban areas called Morrelganj; Morrelganj town and Morrelganj villages and this is the bazaar area of this small town, people are collecting water from water pond and also from tube wells sometimes.

As a case study, the town of Morrelganj in Bangladesh faces significant environmental challenges like arsenic contamination and water salinity. Research was conducted in this area to understand the local community's water sourcing practices, focusing on how residents collect water from ponds and tube wells. This study illustrates the real-life impact of environmental issues on community practices.

Imagine a small town where families must navigate contaminated water supplies. Just as a community might come together for a potluck dinner to share resources, the residents of Morrelganj rely on communal strategies to cope with their environmental challenges. Their collective efforts emphasize the importance of community resilience in facing common problems.

But the people for rainwater one, Japan based NGO, they install this kind of tank in many places in the town they installed 56 such tanks in total they installed more than 250 tanks, okay.

International NGOs, like a Japan-based organization, have played a crucial role in addressing water issues in Morrelganj by installing rainwater harvesting tanks. By building over 250 tanks in the region, they provide an alternative source of safe drinking water for residents, highlighting the effectiveness of targeted community interventions.

Think of an NGO like a local hero bringing resources to a town in need, similar to how a fire department might install fire hydrants to ensure safety. In this case, the tanks help secure clean water supplies, addressing a significant health threat from contaminated water sources.

So, we use some kind of method to define cohesive networks, faction methods, another one is structural equivalent group by using Burt methods, definition in UCINET and also spatial group neighbourhood affiliations anyway, so this is not that important for these discussions but we need to collect the information through survey about people's social networks so, we asked the people that okay, kindly name as 3 persons; 3 tank owners in this area in Morrelganj area with whom you often meet, talk and discuss in any issues in your daily life.

To understand social networks in Morrelganj, researchers employed various methods like faction and structural equivalence to analyze social ties among local residents. The survey aimed to identify individuals' connections by asking them to name three other tank owners with whom they frequently interact. This provides insights into the community's social structure and dynamics.

Imagine gathering a group of friends to plan a trip. Asking each friend who they frequently talk to about travel can reveal hidden connections among them, shedding light on how information spreads and relationships form within a group. Likewise, the survey reveals how interconnected the tank owners are, facilitating information flow about water resources.

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