"By their [data] you will know them" – Historical reflections on capturing patterns in everyday life

Derek Gatherer, Lenneke Kuijer, Ida Nilstad Pettersen

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademic

    97 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    With large quantities of digital data collected on our everyday lives, concerns arise as to how this data may affect these very lives. To derive relevant research questions concerning Everyday Futures, our essay reflects on the use of digital data in everyday decision-making. We do so by comparing historic and contemporary examples of health related data-action loops on three different scales: the body, the home and the city. We conclude that while the use of data to inform sensitive decisions is not new, digitization gives rise to a number of important research themes, including tensions between developers and users, theory and opportunity, sensors and senses, and norms and diversity, ‘expert’ and actor, and that what is (thought to be) measured versus what is not. Moreover, we illustrate how our multiscale, historic, multidisciplinary reflection forms a potential method for everyday futures research.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationEveryday Futures
    EditorsN. Spurling, L. Kuijer
    PublisherLancaster University. Institute for Social Studies
    Pages59-64
    Number of pages6
    Publication statusPublished - 2016

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of '"By their [data] you will know them" – Historical reflections on capturing patterns in everyday life'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this