We live in a world where both an overabundance and a paucity of data coexist, and members of vulnerable populations (such as undocumented immigrants, prisoners, and transgender folks) can be at risk from either end of this spectrum. Too much data can dangerously reveal someone’s status or identity, and an absence of data can undercut the creation of infrastructure required to support a group’s needs.In this panel, scholars from across the university campus consider these questions from diverse perspectives.
Filiberto Nolasco Gomez (Editor of Workday Minnesota/Labor Education Service) will talk about his critical use of data when researching and writing about prison labor and immigrant detention.
Lars Mackenzie (doctoral candidate, Department of Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies) will discuss how data collected under the guise of credit reports can harm transgender people.
Christopher Uggen (Regents Professor and Distinguished McKnight Professor of Sociology and Law, Fellow of the American Society of Criminology) will discuss these matters drawing on his experience and research with prison and crime data.
Contact Rachel Mattson