Book

The Algorithmic Society: Technology, Power, and Knowledge

2020

Synopsis

We live in an algorithmic society. Algorithms have become the main mediator through which power is enacted in our society. This book brings together three academic fields – Public Administration, Criminal Justice and Urban Governance – into a single conceptual framework, and offers a broad cultural-political analysis, addressing critical and ethical issues of algorithms.

Governments are increasingly turning towards algorithms to predict criminality, deliver public services, allocate resources, and calculate recidivism rates. Mind-boggling amounts of data regarding our daily actions are analyzed to make decisions that manage, control, and nudge our behavior in everyday life. The contributions in this book offer a broad analysis of the mechanisms and social implications of algorithmic governance. Reporting from the cutting edge of scientific research, the result is illuminating and useful for understanding the relations between algorithms and power. Topics covered include:

Algorithmic governmentality

Transparency and accountability

Fairness in criminal justice and predictive policing

Principles of good digital administration

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the smart city

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