AbstractThis mini-review outlines the emergence and benefit of applying a structurally explicit, social relational network perspective to inform the establishment and governance of marine protected area (MPAs) and MPA networks. This is an important conservation research and policy frontier. We draw on concepts from relational sociology and social network analysis to highlight the theoretical foundations of a social relational network perspective. Selected examples are used to: (1) illustrate the analytical utility and application of this network perspective to systematically examine attributes recognized as important for MPA establishment and governance; and (2) provide new insights on crucial practices and processes (e.g., knowledge exchange), core social attributes (e.g., social capital), and the roles and positions of diverse MPA actors.
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