In network analysis and network theory, patterns of relations are at the center of research. While network research draws on classics of sociology and various theoretical directions and well-known methods, the new paradigm of network research has sparked a variety of theoretical and empirical studies in recent years, making this field perhaps the most dynamic area in social research. This is due to the fact that network research can provide answers to numerous questions that are still unresolved or not sufficiently clarified. The volume addresses important theoretical strands and methodological approaches both as an introduction and in the form of the latest research findings. The book offers an overview of the "state of the art" in this field.