This course provides an introduction to the role that algorithms increasingly play in daily life, addressing the social forces that they both shape and that they are shaped by. Although algorithms are not new, their development and use has accelerated in recent years, resulting in a critical mass of academic literature on the topic. The course takes a multidisciplinary approach to interrogating algorithms, drawing primarily on literature from information science, computer science, and science and technology studies, with additional readings from disciplines such as philosophy, law, and public health. After completing this course, students will be able to critically engage with the role of algorithms in society on both theoretical and practical levels.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Articulate how algorithms shape and are shaped by social systems and dynamics.
• Analyze the role and impact of classification on how algorithms operate.
• Critically evaluate regulatory and ethical problems and propose solutions for them.
• Explain the role of algorithms in daily life.