Applications in the social and behavioural sciences Books

Book SynopsisThis book introduces and provides an analysis of the basic concepts of algorithms, data, and computation and discusses the role of algorithms in ruling and shaping our world. It provides a clear understanding of the power and impact on humanity of the pervasive use of algorithms.From Algorithms to Thinking Machines combines a layman's approach with a well-founded scientific description to discuss both principles and applications of algorithms, Big Data, and machine intelligence. The book provides a clear and deep description of algorithms, software systems, data-driven applications, machine learning, and data science concepts, as well as the evolution and impact of artificial intelligence.After introducing computing concepts, the book examines the relationships between algorithms and human work, discussing how jobs are being affected and how computers and software programs are influencing human life and the labor sphere. Topics such as value alignment, collective intelligence, Big Data impact, automatic decision methods, social control, and political uses of algorithms are illustrated and discussed at length without excessive technical detail. Issues related to how corporations, governments, and autocratic regimes are exploiting algorithms and machine intelligence methods to influence people, laws, and markets are extensively addressed. Ethics principles in software programming and human value insertion into artificial intelligence algorithms are also discussed.

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Book SynopsisThis book demonstrates the need for and the value of interdisciplinary research in addressing important societal challenges associated with the widespread use of algorithmic decision-making. Algorithms are increasingly being used to make decisions in various domains such as criminal justice, medicine, and employment. While algorithmic tools have the potential to make decision-making more accurate, consistent, and transparent, they pose serious challenges to societal interests. For example, they can perpetuate discrimination, cause representational harm, and deny opportunities.The Societal Impacts of Algorithmic Decision-Making presents several contributions to the growing body of literature that seeks to respond to these challenges, drawing on techniques and insights from computer science, economics, and law. The author develops tools and frameworks to characterize the impacts of decision-making and incorporates models of behavior to reason about decision-making in complex environments. These technical insights are leveraged to deepen the qualitative understanding of the impacts of algorithms on problem domains including employment and lending.The social harms of algorithmic decision-making are far from being solved. While easy solutions are not presented here, there are actionable insights for those who seek to deploy algorithms responsibly. The research presented within this book will hopefully contribute to broader efforts to safeguard societal values while still taking advantage of the promise of algorithmic decision-making.Table of Contents Introduction Part I: Theoretical Foundations for Fairness in Algorithmic Decision-Making 1. Inherent Tradeoffs in the Fair Determination of Risk Scores 2. On Fairness and Calibration 3. The Externalities of Exploration and How Data Diversity Helps Exploitation Part II: Models of Behavior 4. Selection Problems in the Presence of Implicit Bias 5. How Do Classifiers Induce Agents to Behave Strategically? 6. Algorithmic Monoculture and Social Welfare Part III: Application Domains 7. Mitigating Bias in Algorithmic Hiring: Evaluating Claims and Practices 8. The Hidden Assumptions Behind Counterfactual Explanations and Principal Reasons Part IV: Conclusion and Future Work 9. Future Directions

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Book SynopsisThis book investigates the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on development and well-being (beyond economic benefits) and highlights some emerging issues relating to the realities, constraints and digital divides with particular reference to India. It collects a series of novel contributions, studying the Indian experience in an international cross-country perspective. The book also discusses economic, social, and behavioural aspects of well-being as well as access to ICTs across regions, states and individuals to account for the digital divide. The book establishes an aggregate relationship between ICT exposure and well-being at the country level and addresses a number of fundamental issues, such as whether ICT raises the level of transparency and governance. Based on case studies and anecdotal evidence, it then further assesses the effective implementation of service delivery through ICT innovations. The book is divided into four parts: The introductory part surveys the literature and presents background information on the Indian case; introduces the main themes on the relationships between ICT, socio-economic development and digital divides; and provides a summary and roadmap to the chapters of the book. Part II focuses on the impact of ICT on economic performance, including economic growth, productivity and trade. Part III examines the extent of the digital divides in India, including international, regional as well as inter-personal inequality. Finally, Part IV investigates the impact of ICT on governance, users’ well-being and social outcomes. Combining insights from analyses of a variety of socio-economic dimensions related to digitalisation, this book is relevant for a wide range of scholars and researchers across disciplines, as well as practitioners and policy-makers. While the book has a main focus on India, various contributions take an international cross-country comparative perspective, and the results have general relevance for digitalisation and development. On the whole, the main message of this book is that the impact of ICTs is contingent upon other assets, capabilities and institutional conditions. National policies should, therefore, not only promote digitalization as such but also ensure its co-evolution and complementarity with a variety of other country-specific factors. Chapter 'Digitalisation and Development: Issues for India and Beyond' of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com Table of ContentsContributors include:• Dr. Vivekananda Mukherjee, Professor, Department of Economics, Jadavpur University• Akshara Awasthi, Assistant Professor, Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University• Dr. Nilabja Ghosh, Professor, Agriculture Unit, Institute of Economic Growth Delhi• Dr. Keshab Das, Professor, Gujarat Institute of Development Research, Ahmedabad• Dr. Chiranjib Neogi, Guest Faculty, West Bengal State University and Retired Technical Officer, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata• Dr. Biswajit Mandal, Assistant Professor, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan• Dr. Grace Kite, Research Fellow, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London• Dr. Nidhi Tewathia, Assistant Professor, Gargi College, University of Delhi• Debajit Jha, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, O P Jindal Global University• Dr. Pratap C Mohanty, Assistant Professor, Dept. of HSS, IIT Roorkee • Dr. Hastimal Sagara, Assistant Professor, GLS University, Ahmedabad• Prakash Singh, Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi• Dr. Sachala Sahu, Consultant Psychologist, Berhampur, Odisha.• Dr. Ranjit Kumar Dehury, Assistant Professor (Health Management Area) Goa Institute of Management, Goa.• Vigneswara P. Ilavarasan, Associate Professor, Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi• Dr. Kushankur Dey, Professor of Economic Policy, Xavier School of Rural Management, Xavier University Bhubaneswar• Dr. Jyoti Shukla, Assistant Professor, RKMV, Himachal Pradesh university, Shimla

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