A recap of the Data Program team’s work in the SSRN
By Sara Marcucci & Hannah Chafetz
Sharing the results and findings of our research is an essential part of our work at The GovLab. Indeed, that allows us to create avenues for collaboration with other organizations and experts, share our knowledge and expertise with a broader audience, and contribute to the wider field of data governance and innovative civic participation.
In addition to publishing our work on our websites, we also strive to openly disseminate our research through other platforms. This enables us to arrive at a potentially different kind of audience, and widen our reach.
One of the avenues we prioritize is the Social Science Research Network (SSRN), an open, online platform committed to disseminating scholarly research around the world. Over the past few weeks, the Data Program at The GovLab has submitted three major pieces to SSRN:
- Stefaan and Zahuranec, Andrew, The Periodic Table of Open Data (August 30, 2022). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4250347 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4250347)
- Chafetz, Hannah and Zahuranec, Andrew and Marcucci, Sara and Davletov, Behruz and Verhulst, Stefaan, The #Data4COVID19 Review: Assessing the Use of Non-Traditional Data During A Pandemic Crisis (October 31, 2022). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4273229 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4273229
- Marcucci, Sara and Kalkar, Uma and Verhulst, Stefaan, AI Localism in Practice: Examining How Cities Govern AI (November 15, 2022). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4284013
As for the former, the Periodic Table of Open Data is the result of an effort of the Open Data Policy Lab–a collaboration between The GovLab and Microsoft. The Periodic Table was first launched in 2016. Like its previous iterations, this new version categorizes the elements that matter in open data initiatives into five categories: Problem and Demand Definition; Capacity and Culture; Governance and Standards; Personnel and Partnerships; and Risk Mitigation. The Table provides links to current research, examples from the field, and expert input, inviting practitioners to use this document to promote the success of their open data initiatives or otherwise mitigate their risks.
The #Data4COVID19 Review is a research report developed with the support of the Knight Foundation. The report assesses if and how Non-Traditional Data (NTD) was used during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides guidance for how future data systems may be more effectively employed in future dynamic crises. The Review does this with four briefings that document and evaluate the most prominent uses of NTD during COVID-19: health, mobility, economic, and sentiment analysis. These four uses were synthesized from an assessment of The GovLab’s #Data4COVID19 Data Collaborative Repository–a crowdsourced list of almost 300 data collaboratives, competitions, and data-driven efforts that aimed to address the pandemic response.
Finally, the AI Localism report builds on previous work done by the AI Localism project. AI Localism, a term coined by Stefaan Verhulst and Mona Sloane, refers to the actions taken by local decision-makers to address the use of AI within a city or community. It seeks to fill gaps left by governance at the national level as well as by the private sector. The AI Localism report, then, aims to serve as a primer for policymakers and practitioners to learn about current governance practices and inspire their own work in the field. In this report, we present the fundamentals of AI governance, the value proposition of such initiatives, and their application in cities worldwide to identify themes among city- and state-led governance actions. The report closes with ten lessons on AI Localism for policymakers, data, AI experts, and the informed public to keep in mind as cities grow increasingly ‘smarter’.
In 2023, we hope to continue expanding our efforts and sharing the results of our work globally, collaborating with others and contributing to the ever-evolving field of data governance.
We invite anyone with further questions or comments to reach out to us specifically at [email protected].