Yesterday I successfully defended my dissertation! It was very exciting, after five years' worth of work, to see the project come together so well. Many thanks go to my committee, Dr. Thomas E. Flores, Dr. Agnieszka Paczynska and Dr. Todd LaPorte (who was remote, so missed the picture) - all three played a huge role … Continue reading Dissertation Defended!
Dissertation Defense!
Collective (Digital) Action During a Coup
The events in Turkey last night were nothing short of astounding - the world watched a NATO country, in which all was normal as late as happy hour, descend into political chaos as a coup was attempted and by morning has returned to a tenuous balance with President Erdoğan still (apparently) in charge. While the … Continue reading Collective (Digital) Action During a Coup
Where Are the Legislators (Who Ostensibly Pay for Data)?
I watched from a distance on Twitter as the World Bank hosted its annual data event. I would love to have attended - the participants were a pretty amazing collection of economists, data professionals and academics. This tweet seemed to resonate with a theme I've been focused on the last week or so: There is … Continue reading Where Are the Legislators (Who Ostensibly Pay for Data)?
The Challenge of Conflict Data
The last two posts I wrote focused on the social and political structures that drive data collection and availability. In these posts I was primarily talking about statistics in wealthy countries, as well as developing countries that aren't affected by conflict or violence. When it comes to countries that are beset by widespread conflict and violence, … Continue reading The Challenge of Conflict Data
How is Public Data Produced (Part 2)
I published a post yesterday about how administrative data is produced. In the end I claimed that data gathering is an inherently political process. Far from being comparable, scientifically standardized representations of general behavior, public data and statistics are imbued with all the vagaries and unique socio-administrative preferences of the country or locality that collects … Continue reading How is Public Data Produced (Part 2)
How Is Public Data Produced?
The 2016 Global Peace Index (GPI) launched recently. Along with its usual ranking of most to least peaceful countries it included a section analyzing the capacity for the global community to effectively measure progress in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 16, the peace goal. The GPI's analysis of statistical capacity (pp. 73-94) motivates a critical question: … Continue reading How Is Public Data Produced?
Summer Plans and Updates
I've arrived and settled into Munich until early July, and along with a few trips to other parts of Germany and Brussels, it should be a good stay on the Continent. At the moment version two of the dissertation is under review, so hopefully by early June I'll have feedback and an idea of when … Continue reading Summer Plans and Updates
The Blog Will be Fuller
After a lovely year in Sydney as a research fellow with IEP I'll be headed back to the Northern Hemisphere to finish my dissertation. I should be defending it this summer - once it's done, it'll be on to new and exciting research! This also means that I now have the freedom and time to … Continue reading The Blog Will be Fuller
After Paris, Now What?
Like many people I've been following the events in Paris with shock and sadness. I've watched the narratives evolve out of the tragedy, and a few resonate with me. Western leaders have seemed incapable of any kind of creative response to ISIL and the wider risks they pose. I responded on Twitter to an article … Continue reading After Paris, Now What?
Charles P. Martin-Shields 