History, Data Science and Journeys of Discovery with Francisco Ramos

New Books Network

I had the pleasure of talking to Francisco Ramos about how his study of history shaped his approach to data science, and public policy, and his efforts to scale institutionally driven social change. For Francisco, immersion in history began as a personal project of self-discovery. It evolved into a set of tools that he uses and perfects to understand the impact of policies and institutions on society. We talk about the past, present, and future and research paradigms.

We discuss the intimate connections between personal and professional experiences of change over time, the joys of applying familiar insights to new domains, the importance of becoming a stranger (sometimes), and a mysterious (and mendacious) woman named Delfina residing in my guest's genealogical tree. Fear not, you'll find no sentimental musings in this exchange. On the contrary, what emerges is that the perspectives, questions, and habits of thought gained through the study of deeply personal stories prove useful when we turn to thinking about other people, large institutions, and communities.

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