Can I offer my 2p worth on this.

Books are important and personally I have always learnt most from
books. However, it seems to me that a book will only reach the person
who is already interested in the subject and the goal here is to reach
out to wider audiences who are not yet interested in what a book might
have to say to them.

I would suggest to look at alternative channels.

YouTube videos can be mighty influential. Leave aside the performing
cats and other weirdness, this is a medium that reaches big audiences.
(How about a 'Downfall' parody of the statistician in the bunker
railing against the politicians who mis-interpreted his results? OK,
not to everyone's taste but that is how the medium works in blending
serious and frivolous.)

I also think putting out analyses with statistical software would
reach a more select, technical audience. The 'big data' thing is
getting a lot of people interested in R programming. With R, you can
create 'live' documents that combine description, analysis, live code,
and data. Put the whole thing on github.com and anyone can 'fork' it,
extend it, send back reactions and suggestions. In case you haven't
looked, R is free, downloadable in seconds and it is where the action
is in statistical software.

If there is any action to be achieved, it is not going to exist (only) in books.


On Wed, Mar 18, 2015 at 12:57 PM, Jeff Evans <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> There is certainly a place for the sort of book that Robert outlines a case for below (and in earlier postings just before the Conference), as well as for the sort of book that John Bibby and I were suggesting. ...
>
> Is what Robert and others are seeking is a book that will *celebrate* the value of official statistics, in the current context of low trust in statistics, governments, etc. - while leaving discussion about how to do that to other material (entirely reasonably)?
> This is clearly important, and it would be useful to see what other material has been developed by other initiatives with whom this book might have overlapping objectives; for example:
>
> (0) One should check our own website under "Activities", where a number of books are listed (tho' curiously not Demystifying Social Statistics, nor the Health Group's Facing the figures (1989 ca), or Britain's Black Population (198x)). Several of the key chapters in Statistics in Society (Introd & Concl) and Demystifying (Introd, Ch9 and Conclusion) might provide ideas to bounce off.
>
> (1) Initiatives of the ESRC Quantitative Methods Initiative have been running under the coordination of John MacInnes (Edinburgh) for over 5 years now, and have had  several (progressive) instantiations, most recently the Q-Step programme for social science undergraduates. (Two directors of local sites are active in RS: Jackie Carter from Manchester and Rachel Cohen from City.)  The mass of material produced for these projects could be scoured for its suitability.
>
> (2) The RSS has a similar bank of material, as discussed by Hetan Shah (and David Walker) at the conference (and referred to in the RSS's Data Manifesto, available on their website). Again this results from a progression of projects, including getstats, Statistics in Society, and collaboration with Full Fact re the fact-seeking and rebuttal service to be set up in the 6 weeks before the election, i.e. about now.
>
> (3) Then there are a few gems of books that make the case for thinking about official statistics, such as The Tiger that Isn't: seeing through a world of numbers, by Michael Blastland and Andrew Dilnot. One way to think of Robert et al's book might be as a prelude to The Tiger.
>
> Much of what I set down above will be known to many on this list, and some may be able to extend what I have pointed to. Whether this publication will be produced will depend on whether a group of people who want to work on it will emerge.
> Best,
> Jeff
> *****
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: email list for Radical Statistics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Moore, Robert
> Sent: 15 March 2015 13:45
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: "Radical Statistics in the Age of Big Data" - proposed new book
>
> Is there also a case for a quite different kind of book - a booklet perhaps - of thirty pages or thereabouts. Very simply written and explaining how official statistics are produced and quality controlled. - perhaps a box on each page with a "Did you know?" question with an important or surprising statistic. Maybe two or three recent examples of Ministers and editors being caught out. Possibly a page or two on the importance of statistics in, for example, public health in the 19th century (just to show we've been at it a while).  Pictures/cartoons. We could, of course, include quite a few radical statistics, on aspects of inequality perhaps?
> Readership - general public, schools (?), community groups -  journalists and their editors. Needs to be very cheap so that some groups could give it away. Maybe twenty pages would do!
> Or am I just being over-optimistic/romantic about anyone reading such a publication?
>
>
> Robert
>
>
>
> Professor Robert Moore
> School of Sociology and Social Policy
> Eleanor Rathbone Building
> The University of Liverpool
> L69 7ZA
>
> Telephone and fax: 44 (0) 1352 714456
> ________________________________________
> From: email list for Radical Statistics [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Clive Durdle [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 15 March 2015 10:22
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: "Radical Statistics in the Age of Big Data" - proposed new book
>
> What is the scope? Why? Sixth extinction, new atlas of planet management, age of sustainable development, equality, futurity, participation?
>
> I want it but it needs serious thinking about - focus on uk feels mistaken, an international text to do what for who?
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On 15 Mar 2015, at 09:57, Jeff Evans <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
>
> Yes, this idea was reinforced for me, when I heard several people at the conference refer to the important role played by books like Demystifying Social Statistics (1979) and Statistics in Society (1998) in drawing them and their thinking towards Radical Statistics. Both of these books, as well as other publications, functioned as "statements" of the Group for their time.
>
> It seems as if "it is time" again for the Group to launch some ideas about statistics in the current age.  If it were decided to focus on big data, it would need an analysis of its role in UK society / in globalised society.
> I would begin with focusing on: its role as a commodity; implications for the state and for corporations, public services esp. education, families; implications for methodology and ideology; implications for professions such as statistician; consequences in terms of values such as privacy; etc.
>
> However, "big data" may not be the only defining characteristic of the age as far as statisticians / methodologists are concerned?
>
> Best,
> Jeff Evans
>
>
> *****
>
> From: email list for Radical Statistics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Bibby
> Sent: 09 March 2015 10:10
> To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: "Radical Statistics in an Age of Big Data" - proposed new book
>
> Following the success of Saturday's conference, Jeff Evans and I discussed future projects.
>
> One idea  was that RadStats should work towards a new publication - maybe "Radical Statistics in an Age of Big Data".
> The structure could be like that of "Demystifying Social Statistics", with sections on Power and Politics, Technology, Big Corporations, 3rd World, The State, etc., etc..
>
> I'd welcome feedback as to whether you think this is a good idea, as well as suggestions for potential authors or topics. (Please volunteer!)
>
> Thanks all - and well done to everybody who made last Saturday such a success!
>
> JOHN BIBBY

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