Big Data and the Security of Women: Where We Are and Where We Could Be Going

Abstract

This chapter introduces the technology of big data while also providing a methodological framework for the book rooted in critical feminist security studies. It begins by offering various definitions of big data and discussing the normative and ethical issues framing discussions about the concept. Discussing the coinciding emergence of ‘big data’ norms and an emphasis on gender-disaggregated data as advanced through policy mandates, it moves into a discussion of how the current policy environment has resulted in a patchwork of data collection efforts that vary in terms of inclusivity, validity, and reliability. This chapter draws on a comparative analysis of quantitative measures and indices related to gender as compiled by the World Bank, UN institutions, think tanks, and academic projects.