The Power of Data (and its Limits)

Open any newspaper, any magazine, any academic journal, you’ll find claims which rely on data. Government policies, economic data, health recommendations – all of these are based on some underlying data analysis. Data used in this context has enormous power, but it also has limits. Understanding these limits is key to using – but not mis-using – the power of data. This first-year seminar will focus on understanding where data comes from, what we can learn from it, and what the limitations are. The course will emphasize policy-relevant economic and public health applications.