Mapping Luther’s Opponents. Benefits and Limitations of Social Network Analysis in Reformation History

Social network analysis has been established as a method of historical research for a considerable number of years. The combination of quantitative and qualitative methods enables social structures to be visualised and the activities of individual actors to be better understood. This study explores the extent to which social network analysis can be applied to a specific field of Reformation history, namely the opponents of Martin Luther and the Reformation. Examining the case of Johannes Cochlaeus, it is demonstrated that the availability of sources has a pivotal role in determining the informative value of network analyses. Furthermore, it is revealed that actors who have seldom been given due consideration find their place within the social network of Luther’s opponents.