Data, Algorithms, and Inequality in the Digital Age

Data and algorithms are powerful tools that help us understand the world around us. As more aspects of our lives become data-driven, from social media and GPS to surveillance and healthcare, algorithms are increasingly shaping how we communicate, navigate, and make decisions in our everyday life. However, they are not infallible; in fact, data can tell us only so much about the world around us, and algorithms can reproduce existing biases. In this course, students will learn how data can both reveal and reinforce existing social inequalities, and how data can be used critically and responsibly. Alongside readings and discussions, this class will also include hands-on workshops in R to introduce tools for analyzing and visualizing data. Students will learn both how to use data and how to question it; they will develop the skills to analyze data in R while keeping issues of power, ethics, and inequality in view. No prior programming experience is required.