Abschnittsübersicht

  • Einklappen Ausklappen

    General Information about the Seminar

    Alles einklappen Alles aufklappen
    • Announcements Forum

    • This is the Block seminar "if then - but why?" about algorithms and their societal impact. The seminar will take place on the following times and rooms:

        Day Time Room
      constitutional session Monday
      05.05.2025

      14.00(ct) - 15.45

      		 https://public.senfcall.de/itbw
      Block I Friday 13.06.2025 10.00 - 16.00 Seminarpavillon Westend - SP 2.02
      Block I Saturday 14.06.2025 10.00 - 16.00 Seminarhaus SH - SH 2.102
      Block II

      Friday 04.07.2025

      		 10.00 - 16.00 IG-Farben-Haus - IG 457
      Block II Saturday 05.07.2025 10.00 - 16.00 Seminarhaus SH - SH 2.102
      Science Jam tba tba tba
  • Einklappen Ausklappen

    05.05.2025 - Constitutional Session

    • We discuss our plan for the seminar and talk about our expectations and prior experiences with thinking socially about algorithms. We talk about seminar methods, how to get credit points, absence policies, what is up with this "Science Jam", we form groups and set up our tools.

      We meet online at 14.00(ct) in the following room:
      https://public.senfcall.de/itbw

  • Einklappen Ausklappen

    13. & 14.06.2025 - Block I

    • The first seminar session will take place on Friday the 13.06.2025 from 10:00(ct) - 16.00 at Seminarpavillon Westend - SP 2.02. It will cover topics 1a - 1c

      On Saturday the 14.06.2025, we will meet for the second session from 10:00(ct) - 16.00 at Seminarhaus SH - SH 2.102 and cover topics 1d - 1f. 

      Please read through the session descriptions in this course and do the pre-tasks before the seminar sessions. 

    • 1a - Intro to Graph Algorithms

      In this session we get to know a fundamental concept of computer science: the graph. What is it? What can we do with it? The answers is algorithms of course, a lot of elegant algorithms, as the ones we will encounter later in this course, run on graphs.

      Please prepare: nothing

    •  1b - Intro to Science and Technology Studies 

      A session to introduce the theoretical framework and scope of Science and Technology Studies. This is an academic field that emerged from a the same space as sociology and specifically examines how knowledge and technological items are influenced by the society that makes them.

      Please prepare:

      Read "The Relevance of Algorithms" by Tarleton Gillespie (fully)
      Write out the proposed structure of tackling algorithms (for future reference) Use our four methods on the text:

      • 🤏 SMMRY: What is this text about? What are the central arguments?
      • 🎭 Affec!: What are your initial emotions reading the text? (any is valid)
      • 1️⃣ 1sent: Which sentence or passage do you want to highlight and why?
      • 🕳️ G_p: What is missing from the text?
    • 1b - Tarleton Gillespie "The Relevance of Algorithms" Datei
    • 1c - Swipe, Match, Stability & Heteronormativity

      In this session, we encounter the »deferred acceptance« algorithm, proposed by Gale and Shapley 1962, famous for matching men and women in heterosexual dating. What social assumptions can we find in the design of this algorithm? 

      please prepare:
      "College Admissions and the Stability of Marriage" by D. Gale and L. S. Shapley

      Use our four methods on the text:

      • 🤏 SMMRY: What is this text about? What are the central arguments?
      • 🎭 Affec!: What are your initial emotions reading the text? (any is valid)
      • 1️⃣ 1sent: Which sentence or passage do you want to highlight and why?
      • 🕳️ G_p: What is missing from the text?
    • 1c - D. Gale and L. S. Shapley, "College Admissions and the Stability of Marriage" Datei
    •  1d - Flow Networks & Social Graphs

      Building upon the previous session we bring the graph to life by looking at our own social networks as graphs. As social network are full of exchange we encounter a new tool from computer science: Flow Networks. We learn about their structure, what algorithms we can use on them and if their results can teach us something new about our social environment.

      please prepare: nothing

    • 1e - Infinite Scroll

      Which algorithms guide us on the platforms we use every day? How do they work and how could they work better for us? We look back on the invention of infinite scroll and towards an apparent future »TikTokization« of social media.

      Please prepare:
      Read "Don't make me think - A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability" by Steve Krug
      read chapter 1 (pp. 10-19) and chapter 4 (pp. 40-43)
      Use our four methods on the text:

      • 🤏 SMMRY: What is this text about? What are the central arguments?
      • 🎭 Affec!: What are your initial emotions reading the text? (any is valid)
      • 1️⃣ 1sent: Which sentence or passage do you want to highlight and why?
      • 🕳️ G_p: What is missing from the text?
    • 1e - Steve Krug "Don’t Make Me Think! a common sense approach to web usability" Datei
    • 1f - You Might Also Like...


      ... this next session: Automatic recommendations can be found everywhere where someone is interested in keeping you on their site a little longer, from online shops to for-you-pages. In this session, we will focus on the use of recommendation algorithms on Social Media platforms, discuss its function for individualization and the common concept of filter bubbles.

      Please prepare: Melville, Prem; Sindhwani, Vikas (2010). "Recommender Systems" (PDF). In Claude Sammut; Geoffrey I. Webb (eds.). Encyclopedia of Machine Learning. Springer. 

      Use our four methods on the text:

      • 🤏 SMMRY: What is this text about? What are the central arguments?
      • 🎭 Affec!: What are your initial emotions reading the text? (any is valid)
      • 1️⃣ 1sent: Which sentence or passage do you want to highlight and why?
      • 🕳️ G_p: What is missing from the text?
    • 1f - Melville, Prem; Sindhwani, Vikas (2010). "Recommender Systems" Datei
  • Einklappen Ausklappen

    04.&05.07.2025 - Block II

  • Einklappen Ausklappen

    TBA - Science Jam