Introduction to Data in Social Context, Fall 2019

Surveillance Poster Survey: https://forms.gle/iGPosJnnwG1MMnx68

HIST/STS/SOC 2604, MWF 10:10-11:00

Introduction to Data in Social Context examines the use of data to identify, reveal, explain, and interpret patterns of human behavior, identity, and interactions. An exploration of the historical trajectories of data asks how societies have increasingly identified numerical measures as meaningful categories of knowledge, as well as the persistent challenges to assumptions about the universality of social categories reducible to numerical measures. The course examines the range of information that can be classified as data in the form of quantified measures of social categories, textual collections, sound and visual media, and geographical information. Students will learn how social context shapes the collection, interpretation, and uses of data by examining the changing nature of categories defined by class, ethnicity, race, gender, and other elements of collective and individual identity. The course challenges students to ask how data is being collected, how the data has been used to shape policies, and how the process of analyzing data is shaped by social conditions.

Instructor: Tom Ewing, etewing@vt.edu, 231-3212, Liberal Arts and

Human Sciences Building 202, Office Hours, Tuesday Thursday 10-12, and by appointment

Graduate Teaching Assistant: Roan Parrish, proan13@vt.edu, Major Williams 401,

Office Hours, Mondays, 11:15-12:15, Tuesdays, 2:00-3:00, and by appointment

Required Readings:

George Orwell, 1984

Jordan Ellenberg, How Not to be Wrong. The Power of Mathematical Thinking

Virginia Eubanks, Automating Inequality. How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor

Readings from DiSCIPLINE (link). Other readings posted in Canvas

Course Requirements:

Problem sets: 4 @ 10% = 40%, due September 11, October 14, October 28, and November 18

Group projects: 2 @ 10%, 1 @ 20% = 40%, due September 20, November 13, December 4

Final essay: 20%, drafts due September 25, November 6, and final essay due December 6

Problem set assignments will be distributed in class at least one week before the due date. Project #1 explores child labor in early twentieth century Virginia. Project #2 examines the 2019 Virginia legislative elections. Project #3 is an exercise in data storytelling about living under surveillance. The final essay is a 1000 word essay (about four pages, single spaced) explaining why what you learned about data in social context has developed skills, perspective, and capacities needed for your future. The essay may take the form of 1) a job / graduate school application; 2) newspaper opinion piece; or 3) a letter to your parents. The essay must address all of the required readings, the problem sets, and the three projects. The first draft should be 250 words, second draft should be 750 words, and final essay should be 1000 words.

August 26: Introduction (presentation (Links to an external site.))

August 28: Child labor as Data in Social Context (presentation (Links to an external site.))

Readings (available in Canvas):

Louise Boswell, Child Labor and Need,” The Child Labor Bulletin, Vol. 2, No. 1 (May 1913), pp. 17-26

Jessica Contrera, “The searing photos that helped end child labor in America,” Washington Post, September 3, 2018 (link)

August 30: Child Labor in Virginia (presentation (Links to an external site.))

Readings (available in Canvas):

A. J. McKelway, Child Labor in Virginia, Pamphlet 171 (New York: National Child Labor Committee, 1910).

Google sheets: Occupation data link (Links to an external site.)

September 2: Labor Day: No Class

September 4: Field studies and data analysis (presentation (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Eubanks, pp. 1-83

September 6: Simple and Profound Thinking (presentation (Links to an external site.))

September 9: Preliminary group presentations (3 minutes each) (presentation (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Ellenberg, pp. 1-61

Evaluation form: link (Links to an external site.) or https://forms.gle/zqNwPgimJHQWDt2q9 (Links to an external site.)

September 11: presentation (Links to an external site.)

Evaluations for preliminary presentations (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Ellenberg, pp. 62-85

September 13: Skills assessment (link (Links to an external site.)) and presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

September 16: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Eubanks, pp. 84-173

September 18: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Orwell, pp. 1-104

September 20: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

September 23: Problem Set #1 due: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Ellenberg, pp. 89-130

September 25: Essay draft #1 due: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Orwell, pp. 105-224 (skim pp. 184-217)

September 27:

September 30: Project #1 due. Self-evaluation required (link (Links to an external site.)) Presention (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Eubanks, pp. 174-226

October 2: Self-evaluation due by midnight (link (Links to an external site.)) presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Orwell, pp. 225-298

October 4: Fall Break: No Class

October 7: Guest speaker: Virginia Eubanks. Presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

October 9: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Ellenberg, pp. 131-194

October 11: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

October 14: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Ellenberg, pp. 195-232

October 16: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Ellenberg, pp. 233-294

October 18: Presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

October 21: Guest: Lee Gardner (notes (Links to an external site.)) (presentation (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Ellenberg, pp. 295-364

October 23: presentation (link) (Links to an external site.)

October 25: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

October 28: Problem Set #3 due; presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

October 30: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

Reading: Ellenberg, pp. 365-420

November 1: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

November 4: presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

November 6: Essay draft #2 due, presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

November 8:

November 11

November 13: Project #2 due

Reading: Ellenberg, pp. 421-437

November 15: Presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

November 18:

November 20: Problem set #3 due: Presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

November 22: no class

November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break: No Classes

December 2: Presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

December 4: Presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

December 6: Final essay due, Poster completed in class: Presentation (link (Links to an external site.))

December 9: Poster exhibition, Newman Library

December 11: Presentation (link (Links to an external site.))