Big Data Promises and Pitfalls: Examples from Syria

On August 25, 2015, at #HLF15, director of research Megan Price explained how HRDAG relies on many data sources in the documentation of human rights, such as bureaucratic or border crossing records. Quantitative analyses have the potential to contribute to transitional justice mechanisms, via empirical evidence—but most data available in transitional justice settings are incomplete. Using conventional “big data” approaches can lead to not only incomplete but often incorrect analytical results. Her presentation explored how information is generated about killings in conflict, and how the process of generation shapes the statistical patterns in the observed data. This was The Heidelberg Laureate Forum’s Hot Topic 2015, #BraveNewDataWorld, and co-panelists included Michele Cantanzaro, Ciro Cattuto, Jeremy Gillula, Kristen Tolle, and Alessandro Acquisti. Photo by Peter Saueressig.