Social Science of Measurement

When we try to show or compare things objectively, we often measure them. This is also true in the social sciences. Through trial-and-error, the social sciences have explored how to express difficult-to-quantify subjects or events using easy-to-understand forms such as numbers.

Quantification has become more and more prevalent in our daily lives, with the rapid increase in the amount of available information and data, the development of various analytical methods, and the increasing demand for objectivity and transparency. These changes may have an impact not only on research methods in the social sciences, but also on the way people think, and even on the state of society.

With this in mind, our research group will consider measurement from a variety of perspectives, and rethink methodologies in the social sciences. Key questions we plan to address include the following:

  • How has measurement (or quantification) improved or worsened our society?
  • What should we do to utilize measurement without getting too caught up in numerical values?
  • Is there an ideal method of measurement, and if so, what is it?
  • What impact will measurement have on our lives and society in the future?
  • If there is a boundary between what can be measured and what cannot be measured, where is it?

Takashi IIDA

Members
Shin ARITA	[Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo]
Sho FUJIHARA	[Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo]
Takashi IIDA	[Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo]
Akifumi ISHIHARA[Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo]
Mayo MORIMOTO	[Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo]
Aerim RYU	[Faculty of Law, Kyushu University]

Activities

November 11, 2023Other Events
8th meeting(Social Science of Measurement)
July 14, 2023Workshops
Workshop 20:Machine-learning human rights: an empirical study of constitutions around the world in 1900-2020
June 1, 2023Other Events
7th meeting(Social Science of Measurement)
December 20, 2022Workshops
Workshop 15:How Do Political Conflicts Shape Economic Relations? Introducing Big Data-Based and Survey-Based Approaches
November 8, 2022Other Events
6th meeting(Social Science of Measurement)
September 22, 2022Other Events
5th meeting(Social Science of Measurement)
July 28, 2022Other Events
4th meeting(Social Science of Measurement)
June 14, 2022Other Events
3rd meeting(Social Science of Measurement)Speaker:Aerim RYU [University of Tokyo]
May 20, 2022Other Events
2nd meeting (Social Science of Measurement)
January 17, 2022Other Events
1st meeting (Social Science of Measurement)
November 16, 2021Workshops
Workshop 6:Some social scientific issues about "measurement"