Data, Design and Social Justice

This class will explore how data visualization and analysis can be used to address issues of social justice. Our world is increasingly filled with data, and developing skills to make sense of it and communicate the results visually provide students with powerful tools to make their arguments more effective. We will employ a variety of techniques and perspectives drawing from the fields of statistics, cognitive science, perceptual psychology, coding, and information design. Looking at a series of case studies, we will discuss how to interpret quantitative analyses we encounter in the world as well as how to employ these skills for positive change in our world. This course counts towards the Subject Requirement for the Journalism + Design Major. This course also counts as an elective for the Media Studies track of the Culture and Media major.

Student participation in class is crucial for the success of a seminar: not only do proper preparation and participation help with individual learning, but they contribute to everyone’s learning through the collaborative process. In this course, students will be expected to complete all readings and response questions before each class. During class, students will be expected to contribute to discussions and work on all assigned activities. There will be biweekly assignments: these will be varied, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the subject. Students are encouraged to discuss and work with each other in completing all homework assignments, although the finished product must reflect their own synthesis of the material. Evaluation of the final project will be broken into several stages including a preliminary proposal, first draft, final presentation and completed project.

The class, as well as case studies for how information visualization is used to construct an argument. There will also be many online resources to assist with technical and software questions. Class periods will be divided between discussion of the readings and data vis examples, short lectures on new mathematical and design concepts, and collaborative problem-solving and design sessions.