Weaving Social Networks

Societies are constantly changing, with migrant populations playing a role in this change. Police officers and other professionals in the security sector are aware of this social change, while recognizing it is not possible to stay abreast of social trends from within the confines of an office or police station. Furthermore, professionals cannot tell from behind their desks what society thinks of their performance. This requires contact with people and organizations within society. This book provides tips for building and maintaining these relationships - in other words, it is about networking in a multi-ethnic society. Based on research conducted in the Netherlands, the book is intended for police officers and other professionals working in the field of security, with the first chapters being more discursive in nature, as they are entirely devoted to the meaning of the two concepts that are essential to this book, namely 'networking' and 'culture.' These are followed by chapters that are more concrete, and include: making a first acquaintance with contacts in a network * the problems of assessing social relationships within networks * how to approach difficult issues in a network * 'networking' in the virtual world * how to keep networks alive.