3 - Relationships Do Not Come Out of Nowhere

Summary

The authors begin by describing the theoretical framework on which they have based their analysis of the processes they present in this and subsequent chapters. It seeks to account for the interactions between circles, relationships, and networks and to keep in mind that one does not exist without the others. Three main types of contexts for the emergence of relationships are then successively explored: their construction within a social circle; interactions around shared issues; and the extension of the network by the introduction of people through shared relationships. Once constructed, relationships acquire a certain autonomy regarding their context of emergence, which can be captured by the way respondents designate them. Finally, this chapter ends with a review of how social differences (age, gender, level of education, occupation) are perceived (and partly elaborated) in the processes of relationship construction.