Sociological perspectives in critical data studies: A literature review

Abstract

This research note reviews the main sociological directions in Critical Data Studies (CDT) articulated as opposed to “digital positivism”. In the first part of the review, I will highlight the relevance of the critical data studies in the contemporary digitalized world and I will explain the meaning of the interdisciplinary field. In the second part, I plan to analyze two relevant concepts for Critical Data Studies: (1) power and (2) surveillance. I will also consider the implications for the new ways of doing Sociology when using big data. Finally, I will discuss the identified theoretical gaps and the need for empirical studies based on the analyzed concepts.

Keywords

• Critical data studies
• big data
• algorithms
• digital sociology
• surveillance
• power and authority