How Data Need People

How Data Need People, Volume 1, explores the critical intersection of digital technology and human expertise. Anthropologist Götz Hoeppe examines how massive datasets, from genome sequencing to astronomical surveys, rely on the active involvement of scientists, technicians, and administrators. This work of social science and anthropology analyzes the specific practices used to calibrate data, organize collaborative research, and manage the ethics of open access.

By utilizing an ethnography of astronomical research, the author demonstrates how human evaluation and social interaction are necessary for data to remain usable. This text provides a detailed reflection on the sociality of data-rich research, offering insights for those studying data science and the sociology of science. The book bridges the gap between machine learning and human knowledge within the fields of cultural and social anthropology.