Edvard Westermarck -muistoluento torstaina 29.11.2018
Aika: klo 18.00-19.00
Paikka: Tieteiden talo (Kirkkokatu 6), Sali 309
Puhuja: Peter Hedström
Otsikko: Analytical Sociology and Computational Social Science
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The Westermarck Society ry proudly presents Edvard Westermarck Memorial Lecture 2018 by Peter Hedström
Time: Thursday 29th of November, from 18:00 to 19.00
Location: House of Science and Letters (Kirkkokatu 6), Lecture hall 309
Speaker: Peter Hedström
Title: Analytical Sociology and Computational Social Science
ABSTRACT
Analytical sociology focuses on social interactions among individuals and the hard-to-predict aggregate outcomes they bring about. It seeks to identify generalizable mechanisms giving rise to emergent properties of social systems which, in turn, feedback on individual decision-making. This research program benefits from computational tools such as agent-based simulations, machine learning, text analysis, and large-scale web experiments, and has considerable overlap with the nascent field of computational social science. By providing relevant analytical tools to rigorously address sociology’s core questions, computational social science has the potential to advance sociology in a similar way that the introduction of econometrics advanced economics during the last half century. Computational social scientists from computer science and physics often see as their main task to establish empirical regularities which they view as “social laws.” From the perspective of the social sciences, references to social laws appear unfounded and misplaced, however, and in this talk we outline how analytical sociology, with its theory-grounded approach to computational social science, can help to move the field forward from mere descriptions and predictions to the explanation of social phenomena.
After the event, there will be a small occasion to enjoy refreshments.
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Tilaisuuden jälkeen on pienimuotoinen virvoketarjoilu.