2021 Fall

COMPSCI 294 186 - LEC 186

Special Topics

Algorithms and Inequality

Rediet Abebe

Aug 25, 2021 - Dec 10, 2021

We, Fr

11:00 am - 12:29 pm

Soda 405

Class #:30201

Units: 4

Instruction Mode: In-Person Instruction

Offered through Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Current Enrollment

Total Open Seats: -32

Enrolled: 32

Waitlisted: 0

Capacity: 0

Waitlist Max: 70

No Reserved Seats

Hours & Workload

1 to 3 hours of instructor presentation of course materials per week, and 2 to 11 hours of outside work hours per week.

Course Catalog Description

Topics will vary from semester to semester. See Computer Science Division announcements.

Algorithmic tools are having immense impact in every aspect of our lives in areas ranging from decision-making in education, to health, and criminal justice systems. While algorithms are poised to transform many domains, recent discussions have also brought to the surface a disconnect between individuals who introduce and deploy algorithmically-informed solutions and those who regulate decisions and policies for when and how these solutions are used. This disconnect manifests in a number of ways: on the one hand, it can lead to the implementation of interventions that fail to take key societal issues -- such as discrimination and segregation -- into account thereby exacerbating and even creating new inequalities. On the other hand, there remain missed opportunities to use algorithmic-insights in service of historically under-served and marginalized groups. In this course, we will explore this intricate interface between algorithms and inequality with a focus on (a) how algorithms can help us better understand, measure, and mitigate inequality as well as (b) when algorithms contribute to the worsening of inequality. We will do so through readings from numerous fields, with the majority drawn from algorithms, optimization, and mechanism design, but with additional reading including empirical studies, policy papers, and social work research. This course will be a small reading-heavy, discussion-based course that will be open to graduate (masters, professional, and doctoral) students in computer science and electrical engineering as well as economics, law, mathematics, operations research, public policy, social work, sociology, and other closely-related fields. The course will also host discussions with domain experts (researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners) from fields including law, education, social work, and other fields to ground our readings.

Class Notes

Prerequisites: This course is open to all graduate students (masters, professional, and doctoral) and will not have any formal prerequisites. However, students are expected to have some interest in both algorithmic techniques and the study of inequality as well as excitement to explore topics from other fields.

Enrollment: If you are interested in this course, please fill out this admissions survey (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0QKL2y-cBNor7SoVe7RUwUjEZhKI4CGCG4UefzQddX_9R5g/viewform?usp=sf_link), which will be used for all enrollment decisions. Priority will be given to students who fill out the survey by August 24, 2021 at 2 PM PT. Students are expected to have read this paper on Roles for Computing in Social Change (https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.04883.pdf) ahead of the first lecture. show less