In our Lab we explore how the data and society are imbricated and what is the role of the human factor – as both an agent and agency – in the equation.
The Lab hosts researchers who come from different fields – information systems, computational social science, public administration, and critical sociology, media and communication studies, philosophy of technology – who delve into these issues resorting to various methodological approaches.
’Establishment of a laboratory for cognitive research to assess the social, economic and legal impacts of artificial intelligence’ (PI Anu Masso), TalTech general fund, development projects, 1.01.-31.12.2020, AI Eye-tracking https://www.etis.ee/Portal/
‘Establishment of a laboratory for cognitive research to assess the social, economic and legal impacts of artificial intelligence’ (PI Anu Masso), TalTech general fund, development projects, 1.01.-31.12.2020, AI Eye-tracking https://www.etis.ee/Portal/
Recent publications:
Järv, O., Masso, A., Silm, S., & Ahas, R. (2020). The Link Between Ethnic Segregation and Socio-Economic Status: An Activity Space Approach. Tijdschrift Voor Economische En Sociale Geografie, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/tesg.12465
Calzati, S. (2020). China, Africa, and the West: A Geopolitical Assessment of Huawei’s Crisis Communication on Social Networks. International Journal of Communication, 14, https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/15031
Calzati, S. (2020). Decolonising 'Data Colonialism': Propositions for Investigating the Realpolik of Today's Networked Ecology. Television & New Media. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527476420957267
Calzati, S. (2020). (De)scrivere la Cina. Voci testi, mezzi. Milano: Franco Angeli.
Männiste, M., & Masso, A. (2020). ‘Three Drops of Blood for the Devil’: Data Pioneers as Intermediaries of Algorithmic Governance Ideals. Mediální Studia | Media Studies, 14(1), 55–74. https://www.medialnistudia.
Masso, A., Männiste, M., & Siibak, A. (2020). ‘End of Theory’ in the Area of Big Data: Methodological Practices and Challenges in the Social Media Studies. Acta Baltica Historiae et Philosophiae Scientiarum, 8(1), 33–61. https://doi.org/Doi:10.11590/abhps.2020.1.02 ; https://www.ies.ee/bahps/acta-
Salvet, S., & Masso, A. (2019). Mediatization of (Im)mobility Experiences: New Media Use of (Im)mobile Groups. Mediatization Studies, 3(0), 21–35, https://journals.umcs.pl/ms/article/view/8131.
Hosted within the Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance (RND) at Tallinn University of Technology, the Data Lab gathers and branches out towards a wide array of scholars. Their main focus is on the often-opaque interrelations between (big) data, technology, individuals and society at large, in order to understand and tackle the socio-cultural transformations, consequences and recoils of social datafication.
Governance through, by and with data: socio-political-technological implications connected with the adoption of datafied solutions, in the public and private sectors
Datafication of (digital) migration and mobility: social datafication, data practices, data inequalities, data deterritorialization.
Data justice: ethical discussions, frameworks and paradigms surrounding data technologies
“Data colonialism” in context: forms of (new)colonialsm with and through data exploitation
Data epistemologies: data-related knowledge-building and methodologies, methods and techniques.
The researchers who are part of Data Lab espouse both theoretical and practical/empirical approaches to these issue. Notably, theorizations over the ongoing developments of AI and datafied solutions and their related ethical, social, political and implications go hand in hand with the design and unfolding of empirical studies, which rely a varied set of methodologies.
The Lab is open to collaborations with scholars, professionals, and stakeholders keen to explore these and other related themes, from any relevant perspective and through either consolidated or innovative research methods. In this respect, the Estonian context – highly digitalized and prone to innovation as it is – constitutes the ideal environment for establishing synergies within and beyond academia, both nationally and internationally.
The Data Lab gathers together a varied mix of affirmed and emerging scholars afferent to different European institutions and coming from fields as diverse as information systems, computational social science, public administration, and critical sociology, media and communication studies, philosophy of technology.
Järv, O., Masso, A., Silm, S., & Ahas, R. (2020). The Link Between Ethnic Segregation and Socio-Economic Status: An Activity Space Approach. Tijdschrift Voor Economische En Sociale Geografie, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/tesg.12465
Calzati, S. (2020). China, Africa, and the West: A Geopolitical Assessment of Huawei’s Crisis Communication on Social Networks. International Journal of Communication, 14, https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/15031
Calzati, S. (2020). Decolonising 'Data Colonialism': Propositions for Investigating the Realpolik of Today's Networked Ecology. Television & New Media. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527476420957267
Calzati, S. (2020). (De)scrivere la Cina. Voci testi, mezzi. Milano: Franco Angeli.
Masso, A., Männiste, M., & Siibak, A. (2020). ‘End of Theory’ in the Area of Big Data: Methodological Practices and Challenges in the Social Media Studies. Acta Baltica Historiae et Philosophiae Scientiarum, 8(1), 33–61. https://doi.org/Doi:10.11590/abhps.2020.1.02 ; https://www.ies.ee/bahps/acta-
Masso, A., & Kasapoglu, T. (2020). Understanding Power Positions in a New Digital Landscape: Perceptions of Syrian Refugees and Border Experts on Relocation Algorithm. Information, Communication, Society. Accepted for publication consideration.
Männiste, M., & Masso, A. (2020). ‘Three Drops of Blood for the Devil’: Data Pioneers as Intermediaries of Algorithmic Governance Ideals. Mediální Studia | Media Studies, 14(1), 55–74. https://www.
Salvet, S., & Masso, A. (2019). Mediatization of (Im)mobility Experiences: New Media Use of (Im)mobile Groups. Mediatization Studies, 3(0), 21–35, https://journals.umcs.pl/ms/article/view/8131.
Masso, Anu; Schlüter, Elmar; Davidov, Eldad (2019). What factors explain anti-Muslim prejudice? An assessment of the effects of Muslim population size, institutional characteristics and immigration-related media claims. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 1−16, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1369183X.2018.1550160?journalCode=cjms20.
Masso, Anu; Silm, Siiri; Ahas, Rein (2019). Generational differences in spatial mobility: A study with mobile phone data. Population, Space and Place, 25 (2), https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/psp.2210.
Tammpuu, Piia; Masso, Anu (2019). Transnational Digital Identity as an Instrument for Global Digital Citizenship: The Case of Estonia’s E-Residency. Information Systems Frontiers, 21 (3), 621−634, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10796-019-09908-y.
Kalmus, V.; Masso, A.; Opermann, S.; Täht, K. (2018). Mobile Time as a Blessing or a Curse: Perceptions of Smartphone Use and Personal Time among Generation Groups in Estonia. Trames : Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences, 22 (1, 72/67), 45−62, https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/df70/080645479cfdb3f56197675092a5ae611ca0.pdf.
Tammpuu, Piia; Masso, Anu (2018). ‘Welcome to the virtual state’: Estonian e-residency and the digitalised state as a commodity. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 21 (5), https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1367549417751148.
Vihalemm, Peeter; Masso, Anu; Opermann, Signe (2018). The Routledge International Handbook of European Social Transformations. Abingdon; New York: Routledge, https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-International-Handbook-of-European-Social-Transformations/Vihalemm-Masso-Opermann/p/book/9781472477941.
E-residentsus taastoodab digitaalset ebavõrdsust, A. Masso, P. Tammpuu, 17.04.2019, ETIS, https://www.etis.ee/Portal/News/Display/c21dfbc1-11ff-425f-b91b-53454af575ef
E-residency contributes to the reproduction of digital inequalities, A. Masso, P. Tammpuu, 20.05.2019, EurekAlert, https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-05/erc-pam052019.php
Mobiiliandmete uuring: Eesti aktiivsed eakad reisivad üllatavalt palju, A. Masso, S. Silm, 10.01.2019, Novaator, https://novaator.err.ee/897173/mobiiliandmete-uuring-eesti-aktiivsed-eakad-reisivad-ullatavalt-palju
Kas sotsiaalmeedia aktiivne kasutamine sütitab soovi Eestist lahkuda? S. Salvet, A. Masso, 26.10.2019, Novaator, https://novaator.err.ee/996043/kas-sotsiaalmeedia-aktiivne-kasutamine-sutitab-soovi-eestist-lahkuda
Uuring: millest tulenevad eelarvamused moslemitest sisserändajate suhtes? A. Masso, 12.03.2019, Novaator, https://novaator.err.ee/918988/uuring-millest-tulenevad-eelarvamused-moslemitest-sisserandajate-suhtes.
Andmepõhine otsustamine ilma sotsiaalteadlasteta automatiseerib ebavõrdsuse, A.Masso, 11.12.2018, Novaator: https://novaator.err.ee/883869/andmepohine-otsustamine-ilma-sotsiaalteadlasteta-automatiseerib-ebavordsuse
DataLab offers diverse training opportunities in the field of data analysis techniques, software and methods as well as in the field of data studies. Data Lab current training activities include:
Data diaries from "Big Data and Governance" course.
We are committed to fostering synergies with institutions, research groups, stakeholders – both academic and non academic – whose main activities and interests revolve around the core themes researched at Data Lab.
Next funding opportunities:
Postdoctoral position in "Critical Understanding of Predictive Policing" (application deadline: 7th of December 2020; appointment from: 1st of February 2021). More info: here
PhD position in "Urban Analytics and Data Technologies" (application deadline: 16th of December 2020; appointment from: 1st of February 2021). More info: here
Dora Plus: short mobility for master students, doctoral students, young researchers. https://taltech.ee/studying/phd-studies/programmes-6/dora-scholarships/dora-programme/
Post-doctoral researcher grant: https://www.etag.ee/en/funding/mobility-funding/mobilitas-pluss/mobilitas-pluss-post-doctoral-researcher-grant/
None at the moment
PUT: Academic staff in Estonia
Visiting professorship: ASTRA program (contact team for more information)
Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance
School of Business and Governance
Tallinn University of Technology
Address: Akadeemia tee 3
12618, Tallinn, Estonia
