This page shows a selection of recent creations and appearances. You can filter by type using the menu above.
William F. Buckley and the Decline of American Discourse
In this article published online and in print for MIT’s The Tech, I review a presentation about William F. Buckley and American political discourse.
Causation, Correlation, and Big Data in Social Science Research
In this article co-authored with Ralph Schroeder, published in Policy & Internet, we draw on interviews conducted with researchers at the forefront of big data research, to offer insight into questions of causal versus correlational research, the use of inductive methods, and the utility of theory in the big data age.
Welcome to Britain’s first ever prime ministerial primary
In this article, published on the LSE’s British Politics and Policy blog, I argue that the Labour leadership election is Britain’s first example of a US-style primary election. … Continue reading Welcome to Britain’s first ever prime ministerial primary
Ad hoc encounters with big data
In this article published in FirstMonday, written with Morten Fjeld, Paweł Woźniak and Bonnie Nardi, we explore the possibilities for engaging citizens in civic decision-making through the use of participatory tabletop devices.
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook: who are the world’s most popular football clubs?
I am quoted in this Guardian article by Jamie Jackson, discussing how football clubs have adapted to the popularity of social media sites.
What the Thornberry affair tells us about politicians online
In this article, published on the LSE’s British Policy and Politics blog, I argue that Emily Thornberry’s Twitter gaffe shows that the intense image management of modern political figures has not yet entirely spread to the online realm.
Why big data has some big problems when it comes to public policy
A presentation I gave is discussed in this Washington Post article about big data and policy making.
We are entering an era in which multi-party coalitions are the norm rather than the exception
In this article, published on the LSE’s British Policy and Politics blog, I argue that the current coalition government is an arrangement that – structurally if not politically – is set to become the norm.
Fahrenheit 404: Party attitudes to web archiving are a worrying sign for digital-era democracy
In this article, written with Mor Rubinstein for the LSE’s British Policy and Politics blog, we examine how British political parties approach online transparency and censorship.
Josh Cowls 