TY - CHAP A1 - Marques, Marcelo A1 - Zapp, Mike A1 - Dusdal, Jennifer A1 - Powell, Justin J.W. A2 - Huisman, Jeroen A2 - Tight, Malcolm T1 - Higher Education Organizations as Strategic Actors in Networks: Institutional and Relational Perspectives Meet Social Network Analysis T2 - Theory and Method in Higher Education Research N2 - Informed by multiple disciplines, theories, and methods, higher education scholars have developed a robust and diverse literature in many countries. Yet, some important (organizational) sociological perspectives, both more established and more recent, are insufficiently linked. In particular, we identify two theoretical strands – institutional and relational – that, when joined, help to explain contemporary developments in global higher education and yield new organizational insights. We review relevant literature from each perspective, both in their general formulations and with specific reference to contemporary higher education research. Within the broad institutional strand, we highlight strategic action fields, organizational actorhood, and associational memberships. Within the relational strand, we focus on ties and relationships that are especially crucial as science has entered an age of (inter)national research collaboration. Across these theories, we discuss linkages between concepts, objects, and levels of analysis. We explore the methodological approach of social network analysis as it offers great potential to connect these strands and, thus, to advance contemporary higher education research in a collaborative era. Y1 - 2021 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-hsog/frontdoor/index/index/docId/4403 SN - 978-1-80262-442-7 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1108/S2056-375220210000007004 VL - 7 SP - 55 EP - 73 PB - Emerald Publishing Limited CY - Bingley ER -