The metric society : on the quantification of the social / Steffen Mau ; translated by Sharon Howe.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mau, Steffen, 1968- author.

Contributor:

Howe, Sharon, translator.

Standardized Title:

Metrische Wir. English

Language:

English

German

Subjects (All):

Information technology--Social aspects.

Information technology.

Data mining.

Big data.

Physical Description:

vii, 205 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, UK : Medford, MA : Polity Press, [2019]

Contents:

1 The Measurement of Social Value p. 10

What does quantification mean? p. 12

The calculative practices of the market p. 15

The state as data manager p. 17

Engines of quantification: digitaltzation and economization p. 21

2 Status Competition and the Power of Numbers p. 26

Dispositives of comparison p. 28

Commensurability and incommensurability p. 31

New horizons of comparison p. 33

Registers of comparison and investive status work p. 35

3 Hierarchization: Rankings and Ratings p. 40

Visibilization and the creation of difference p. 40

On your marks! p. 43

University rankings p. 47

Here today, gone tomorrow: the market power of rating agencies p. 53

4 Classification: Scoring and Screening p. 60

Credit scoring p. 63

Quantified health status p. 67

Mobility value p. 71

'Boost your score' - academic status markers p. 74

Social worth investigations p. 78

5 The Evaluation Cult: Stars and Points p. 81

Satisfaction surveys p. 82

Evaluation portals as selectors p. 84

Peer-to-peer ratings p. 87

Professions in the evaluative spotlight p. 89

Like based reputations on social media p. 93

6 The Quantified Self: Charts and Graphs p. 99

Health, exercise and mood p. 101

The collective body p. 104

Motivation techniques p. 106

7 The Power of Nomination p. 111

The nomination power of the state p. 112

Performance measurement and the framing of competition p. 115

The nomination power of experts p. 119

Algorithmic authority p. 123

Critique of nomination power p. 125

8 Risks and Side-Effects p. 129

Reactive measurements p. 129

Loss of professional control p. 133

Loss of time and energy p. 135

Monoculture versus diversity p. 137

9 Transparency and Discipline p. 141

Normative and political pressure p. 144

The power of feedback p. 147

Technological surveillance in the workplace p. 149

The new tariff systems p. 151

The interdependence of self- and external surveillance p. 153

The regime of averages, benchmarks and body images p. 155

10 The Inequality Regime of Quantification p. 158

Establishment of worth p. 160

Reputation management p. 162

Collectives of non-equals p. 166

From class conflict to individual competition p. 168

Inescapability and status fluidity p. 170

Self-reinforcing effects p. 174.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Mau, Steffen, 1968- Metric society.

ISBN:

9781509530403

1509530401

9781509530410

150953041X

OCLC:

1045722517