The HASTAC Scholars’ Collaborative Book Review Project has started reviewing two books this round, “Data Feminism” by Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein and “Atlas of AI” by Kate Crawford. This initiative offers a platform for academic exploration and nurturing critical writing and peer review skills, promising an enriching community of discourse. As such, “Data Feminism” is a great fit for this program.
The HASTAC Scholars’ Collaborative Book Review Project is both an academic endeavor and a participatory forum fostering critical engagement and reflection. It leverages peer review and collaborative discourse to deepen understanding of “Data Feminism” and its application to contemporary challenges, embodying a collective journey towards a more equitable digital future.
Contributing authors to this collection are (in alphabetical order): Abby Cole, Stella Fritzell, Donna Langille, Hannah Mendro, Urmi Parekh, Jessie Reynolds-Clay, and (me) Parisa Setayesh.
At its core, “Data Feminism” confronts the latent biases and inequalities embedded within data science through an intersectional feminist lens. D’Ignazio and Klein meticulously unravel how data, often perceived as objective, mirrors the societal disparities that plague our world. The authors argue, “Data is not just a number or a fact, it is a reflection of our world’s imbalances.” This perspective is crucial for understanding data’s role in reinforcing or challenging societal norms. The book is available through MIT Press Direct. “Data Feminism” is an important book that transcends academic boundaries, resonating with activists, policymakers, and technologists alike. Its impact lies in its ability to illuminate the nuanced ways in which data practices can perpetuate gender and racial inequities. By highlighting examples such as AI’s role in perpetuating hiring biases, the book advocates for a shift toward data justice. This approach acknowledges inequalities’ historical and systemic roots, urging a reimagined engagement with data that centers on fairness and inclusivity.
The Data + Feminism Lab at MIT, co-founded by D’Ignazio, extends the conversations initiated by “Data Feminism” through groundbreaking research and projects. The lab’s interdisciplinary work—characterized by its focus on equity, innovative methodologies, and public engagement—embodies the book’s ethos. Notably, its project on automating the detection of feminicide cases showcases the practical application of data feminism principles, aiming to make activism more sustainable and impactful.
Another interesting publication from the lab is titled “Feminicide & Machine Learning: Detecting Gender-based Violence to Strengthen Civil Sector Activism,” the article outlines a participatory action research project aimed at supporting activists in monitoring feminicide by partially automating the detection of such cases from news media using machine learning. It addresses the challenges faced by activists, including the emotional and mental toll of their work and the lack of comprehensive data collection on feminicide. The machine learning model developed shows promise in reducing the labor required to identify and log feminicides, with an accuracy rate of 81.1%. The project emphasizes a feminist participatory approach, aiming to make data collection more accessible and sustainable while respecting the complexities and nuances of feminicide cases across different contexts (D’ignazio et al., 2020).
“Data Feminism” serves as a catalyst for reimagining the future of data science through a feminist lens. The HASTAC Scholars’ project and the ongoing work of the Data + Feminism Lab at MIT highlight the critical need for inclusivity and justice in data practices. The framework of Data Feminism is a movement toward recognizing and rectifying data science’s gendered and racial biases. The HASTAC Scholars’ Collaborative Book Review Project amplifies this message, fostering a community of thinkers poised to challenge and change the digital landscape towards one that honors diversity and equality.
As D’Ignazio and Klein assert, “The future of data is feminist, and it is through collective action and critical reflection that we pave the way towards this future.”
Parisa Setayesh
HASTAC Scholars Co-director