Practicum: Interview Project on Artificial Intelligence

Undergraduate / Graduate

This one-quarter practicum in qualitative methods aims to develop interview research skills-including instrument design, effective questioning, transcription and thematic analysis, and structured write-up-in the context of a BA thesis trial run. The topic of this version of the practicum is artificial intelligence and its uneven effects on work, opportunity, social control, and life chances. Students will conduct in-class and out-of-class interviews depending on area of interest. Potential respondents include scholars and other experts about the future of work and AI regulation; college students and young professionals facing career uncertainty; individuals subject to algorithmic decision-making in policing, healthcare, and public service provision; visual artists, writers, musicians and other creative professionals; individuals involved with prediction markets and algorithmic high-frequency trading and sports betting; and advocates, nonprofit leaders, and policymakers working to govern AI. Each student will formulate a research question, conduct original fieldwork and construct the component parts of their own "Mini-Thesis," which they will submit at the end of the quarter. This practicum class can fulfill either the "Methods" or "Windows" major requirement in PBPL. Recommended for third-year students; open to all.