Events

How is the data that underpins American democracy actually made? What does the process of producing reliable public data uncover about the relationship between political power, government institutions, and the civil servants responsible for making them work?

In her new book, Data Are Made, Not Found: A Story of Politics, Power, and the Civil Servants Who Saved the US Census, professor and author danah boyd draws on interviews with hundreds of civil servants involved in the 2020 census to tell the story of the people behind one of the country's largest and most consequential data-making efforts. She explores how political interference, institutional constraints, and unprecedented operational challenges tested the Census Bureau, and what its experience reveals about the vulnerabilities of the government bodies that produce and analyze public data.

Join us for a conversation with danah boyd on Tuesday, December 1, from 5:30pm to 7:00pm at The Forum at Columbia University. She’ll dive into the politics of data production and what it takes to protect the public infrastructure our democracy depends on.

This event is hosted by Columbia World Projects, All Tech Is Human, and the Technology Policy and Innovation specialization at Columbia SIPA. The discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A. This event is free and open to the public with registration required. Copies of Data Are Made, Not Found will be provided to attendees on a first come, first served basis.