The role of computer science in sociology

[Owego]

I have an undergraduate degree in sociology and am about to embark on a masters program in computer science. I like computer science but sociology (specifically population studies) remains my true passion.

 

I want to find a way to marry the two subjects and use my computer science skills to make me a better sociologist. I've been reading up on computational sociology, but it doesn't seem as useful to population studies as it is for other sociology disciplines. There is something called Agent-Based Computational Demography, but it doesn't seem very mainstream. Any thoughts on other ways computer science can be married with population studies?

[socialequity]

I have an undergraduate degree in sociology and am about to embark on a masters program in computer science. I like computer science but sociology (specifically population studies) remains my true passion.

 

I want to find a way to marry the two subjects and use my computer science skills to make me a better sociologist. I've been reading up on computational sociology, but it doesn't seem as useful to population studies as it is for other sociology disciplines. There is something called Agent-Based Computational Demography, but it doesn't seem very mainstream. Any thoughts on other ways computer science can be married with population studies?

What would you like to do after you're done with the masters program?

Here is a possible resource to get some insight: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/books.htm?chapterid=1775257

Another insight: https://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S27/92/93G66/index.xml?section=featured

[Owego]

What would you like to do after you're done with the masters program?

Here is a possible resource to get some insight: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/books.htm?chapterid=1775257

Another insight: https://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S27/92/93G66/index.xml?section=featured

Thanks for the resources. I'm keeping my options open about what I want to do, but a PhD in Sociology is a strong possibility.

[socialequity]

Thanks for the resources. I'm keeping my options open about what I want to do, but a PhD in Sociology is a strong possibility.

That's good! Good to weigh your options. And if you went with a Ph.D., you would be more likely get funding!

[cultsoc]

there's lots of new and exciting research going on in computational sociology. check out badhessian(dot)org. a number of the folks contributing to that blog are graduate soc students with comp sci backgrounds and tackle big data type research.

Edited December 27, 2013 by cultsoc

[gilbertrollins]

Bad Hessian is good.  Also take a look at Michael Macy and his lab at Cornell, Fabio Rojas at Indiana, Chris Bail at UNC, and James Evans and his lab at Chicago.  Computational people are having a bit of trouble making inroads into sociology - there's a lot to get worked out.  But there is sufficient excitement and useful enough results coming out of the methods that it will gain ground and likely tip into more mainstream hires and pubs.  

[adornoscapitalistcast]

You'll have to look into Salganik at Princeton. He's got a book about methods from CS and their applications to sociology. THere's also a paper about wiki-fying survey research that I thought was pretty interesting. Evans at Chicago is the other great thinker in this area.