Data Lives: How Data Are Made and Shape Our World

Description

The word ‘data’ has entered everyday conversation, but do we really understand what it means? How can we begin to grasp the scope and scale of our new data-rich world, and can we truly comprehend what is at stake? In Data Lives, renowned social scientist Rob Kitchin explores the intricacies of data creation and charts how data-driven technologies have become essential to how society, government and the economy work. Creatively blending scholarly analysis, biography and fiction, he demonstrates how data are shaped by social and political forces, and the extent to which they influence our daily lives. He reveals our data world to be one of potential danger, but also of hope. Front Cover Endrosment Data Lives: How Data Are Made and Shape Our World Copyright information Table of contents List of abbreviations Acknowledgments Part I Introduction 1 Data Stories Telling Stories Data Lives Part II The Life of Data 2 Blind Data 3 The Nature of Data 4 Gridlock 5 In Data We Trust 6 How to Lose (and Regain) 3.6 Billion Euros 7 Harmonizing Data is Hard 8 Open-and-Shut Case 9 The Politics of Building Civic Tech 10 So More Trumps Better? 11 Hustling for Funding 12 The Secret Science of Formulas 13 The End of the Data Lifecycle Part III Living with Data 14 Traces and Shadows 15 Recommended Life 16 The Quantified Self 17 Fighting Fires 18 Management Through Metrics 19 Guinea Pigs 20 Big Brother is Watching and Controlling You 21 Security Theatre 22 When a Country Ignores Its Own Data 23 Data Theft 24 Data for the People, by the People 25 Black Data Matter PART IV Conclusion 26 A Matter of Life and Death 27 Data Futures Notes Index Back Cover