Conversations with Sergei Guriev Sciences Po

The digital inequalities are considerable and directly linked to social inequalities: less money, less equipment, less time, less training. How is political activism developed in this context? With what consequences? Jen Schradie has been studying these questions for over 10 years by combining quantitative, qualitative and computational studies. By sharing her conclusions with us, she also tells us about the impacts of artificial intelligence on research and teaching activities. Next year, she will give a course at Sciences Po on the use of Gen AI in research.
Jen Schradie is an Assistant Professor, researcher at the Centre for Research on Social InequalitieS (CRIS). 

Additional Resources:
Schradie, Jen, and Liam Bekirsky, 'The Digital Production Gap in the Algorithmic Era', in Deana A. Rohlinger, and Sarah Sobieraj (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Digital Media Sociology (2022; online edn, Oxford Academic, 8 Oct. 2020)
Schradie, Jen, "Context, class, and community: a methodological framework for studying labor organizing and digital unionizing", Information, Communication & Society, vol. 24, 2021, n° 5, p 700-716
Schradie, Jen - "The Great Equalizer Reproduces Inequality: How the Digital Divide Is a Class Power Divide", Political Power and Social Theory, vol. 37, 2020, Rethinking Class and Social Difference, p. 81-101

Recorded on 3 May 2024
Conversations with Sergei GURIEV  is a podcast by Sciences Po. Hélène NAUDET supervised the production of this series, with the help of Jade SOULLARD, Sciences Po Master student. Sciences Po' studio produced and mixed it.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In the vast landscape of the Internet, YouTube is a giant, hosting over 14 billion videos that shape our digital experience. No one knew this number until Ethan Zukerman and his team calculated it using an advanced method they developed. Not only did they count the number of videos, but they also classified them, providing a vivid picture of YouTube’s cultural and linguistic diversity. This analysis also reveals the algorithmic dynamics that influence user experiences.

Ethan Zuckerman is an associate professor of public policy, communication and information at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He founds of the Institute for Digital Public Infrastructure.

Additional Resources:
How Big is YouTube?, Ethan Zukerman's blog Dec. 2023
"Building a More Honest Internet" Columbia Journalism Review, Ethan Zukerman, Fall 2019
Media Cloud, an open source search engine and tool for studying the open web, developed with Ethan Zukerman

Recorded on 20 March 2024
Conversations with Sergei GURIEV  is a podcast by Sciences Po. Hélène NAUDET supervised the production of this series, with the help of Jade SOULLARD, Sciences Po Master student. Sciences Po' studio produced and mixed it.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Many studies have shown the limited effectiveness of factual corrections in changing deeply ingrained beliefs and attitudes. However, based on the results of his work, Yamil Velez is convinced that thanks to generative AI, researchers can create personalised rebuttals that adapt to individuals' stated positions. It may also be helpful to explore new ways to reduce polarisation and enhance critical thinking skills. A positive outlook explained by Yamil Velez, an Assistant Professor at Columbia University, visiting faculty at CEVIPOF.

Additional resources:
Latino-Targeted Misinformation and The Power of Factual Correctionswith Ethan Porter and Thomas Wood, Journal of Politics
Correcting Covid-19 Misinformation in Ten Countries with Ethan Porter and Thomas Wood, Royal Society Open Science
Factual Corrections Eliminate False Beliefs about Covid-19 Vaccines with Ethan Porter and Thomas Wood), Public Opinion Quarterly

Recorded on 16th February 2024.
Conversations with Sergei GURIEV  is a podcast by Sciences Po. Hélène NAUDET supervised the production of this series, with the help of Jade SOULLARD, Sciences Po Master student. Sciences Po' studio produced and mixed it.


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

One thing is certain: discrimination is not only perpetuated by algorithms which reflect societal biases, but multiplied. If the constitution of databases and configuration of algorithms must be rethought, it will not be enough. It is essential to rely on law, especially the Europen one which prohibits a large number of discriminations. These legal protections must be adapted and developed, considering the specificities of algorithmic discrimination.
Raphaele XENIDIS, Assistant Professor at Sciences Po's Law School, helps us better understand the questions raised by these issues.Additional resources
Raphaële Xenidis. Beyond bias: algorithmic machines, discrimination law and the analogy trap. Transnational Legal Theory, 2024, pp.1-35.
Hilde Weerts, Raphaële Xenidis, Fabien Tarissan, Henrik Palmer Olsen, Mykola Pechenizkiy. Algorithmic Unfairness through the Lens of EU Non-Discrimination Law. FAccT Conference 2023, ACM, June 2023, Chicago. pp.805-816.
Recorded on 24th January 2024
Conversations with Sergei GURIEV  is a podcast by Sciences Po. Hélène NAUDET supervised the production of this series, with the help of Jade SOULLARD, Sciences Po Master student. Sciences Po' studio produced and mixed it.


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Over the last decades, identity is rising as a new ideology influenced by postmodernism, postcolonialism, and critical race theory. While acknowledging the value of recognising and respecting diverse identities, Yascha Mounk invites us to be vigilant about the potential pitfalls of rigidly defining individuals solely based on their identity groups. It is crucial to strike a balance between celebrating cultural diversity and avoiding essentialism that may inadvertently leads to exclusion and division, threatening democracy.

Yascha Mounk is professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University, a contributing Editor at The Atlantic, a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a Moynihan Public Scholar at City College. Next spring he will be an Associate Professor at Sciences Po’s School of International Affairs.


Additional resources
The Identity Trap:A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time, Penguin Press (2023)
The Great Experiment. Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure, Penguin Press (2022)
The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom is in Danger and How to Save It, Harvard University Press (2018)

Recorded on 24th November 2023
Conversations with Sergei GURIEV  is a podcast by Sciences Po. Hélène NAUDET supervised the production of this series., with the help of Blanca GONZALEZ MARTINEZ, Sciences Po Master student in Political Science. The Sciences Po audio department produced and mixed it.


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Political dynasties belong neither to the past nor only to authoritarian regimes. Think about the Trudeau family in Canada, Le Pen in France, or Kirchner in Argentina. An explanatory factor: having lived in a political environment provides skills.  Can the evolution of society towards a better level of education and more transparency put an end to these dynasties? Especially since we find a growing desire to reject the established political elites by implementing lotteries. Why this desire? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this system? The research carried out indicates that lotteries can strengthen and improve our democratic systems.  Let’s see why.
Brenda Van Coppenolle is a Senior Research Fellow affiliated with the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics (CEE) at Sciences Po. She is the Principal Investigator of the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant “Political Lotteries in European Democratisation”.

Additional resources

Brenda Van Coppenolle - Political Dynasties and Bicameralism: Direct Elections and Democratisation in the Netherlands, Electoral Studies, 2022
Brenda Van Coppenolle  -  How do Political Elites Persist? Political Selection, Political Inequality, and Empirical Historical Research, French Politics, 2020
All publications

Recorded on 17th November 2023
Conversations with Sergei GURIEV  is a podcast by Sciences Po. Hélène NAUDET supervised the production of this series., with the help of Blanca GONZALEZ MARTINEZ, Sciences Po Master student in Political Science. The Sciences Po audio department produced and mixed it.


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.