Understanding Data, Culture and Society

- How is data shaping our identities?
- What was the ′data revolution′, and how did it happen?
- How will AI change our societies?

We live in the age of datafication: every aspect of our lives has been captured and transformed into data, from our sleeping patterns and step counts to our buying habits and political views. In this exciting new textbook, you will discover the intricate ways in which data and society are interwoven. Explaining key concepts such as ′big data′ and putting theory into practice throughout, this book will make you a better expert in data and society, offering an interdisciplinary overview of a rapidly evolving field. This textbook tackles the implications of big data for democracy, identity and the global economy, showing how we cannot view our lives as separate from the technologies we have come to rely on. With learning objectives, case studies, further reading and extra resources provided in each chapter, this book is the ideal companion for students in the digital humanities and social sciences looking to deepen their understanding of data, culture and society.

Dr Pieter Verdegem is Reader in Technology and Society and a member of CAMRI (the Communication and Media Research Institute) at the University of Westminster. His research investigates the political economy of media and communication and the impact of digital technologies on society. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and teaches core undergraduate and postgraduate modules. He is the Course Leader of the interdisciplinary MA in Data, Culture and Society.