Laura K. Nelson
@lauraknelson.bsky.social
Associate Professor @ UBC
computational sociology
machine learning is feminist
You only have to look at the Medusa straight on to see her. And she’s not deadly. She’s beautiful and she’s laughing.
www.lauraknelson.com
computational sociology
machine learning is feminist
You only have to look at the Medusa straight on to see her. And she’s not deadly. She’s beautiful and she’s laughing.
www.lauraknelson.com
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
Just found out feminism is real. So sorry I thought yinz were joking.
January 4, 2026 at 7:34 AM
Just found out feminism is real. So sorry I thought yinz were joking.
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
New article in American Sociological Review, coauthored with Grant, Longhofer, and Vasi. We theorize about and empirically demonstrate how affective polarization is shaping the climate crisis, with a focus on CO2 emissions from power plants throughout the world. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
December 29, 2025 at 6:46 PM
New article in American Sociological Review, coauthored with Grant, Longhofer, and Vasi. We theorize about and empirically demonstrate how affective polarization is shaping the climate crisis, with a focus on CO2 emissions from power plants throughout the world. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
@eugenevinitsky.bsky.social and I are looking for a few testers for something special we've been building! It's an app that lets you view the same content you see here on Bluesky but with extra features — some focused on researchers, some general upgrades. Reach out to us if interested!
December 29, 2025 at 6:55 PM
@eugenevinitsky.bsky.social and I are looking for a few testers for something special we've been building! It's an app that lets you view the same content you see here on Bluesky but with extra features — some focused on researchers, some general upgrades. Reach out to us if interested!
Counter point (perhaps unpopular?): we call everything that automates something that typically requires human intelligence AI (from the fridge runner to the photo sharpener to LLMs). Then when someone says they work on AI, we normalize the follow up: "oh neat, what kind of AI?"
p.s. One thing we need to do is stop using the term “AI” — which is mainly a marketing term, not a technical one — to describe everything from algorithms that efficiently run your refrigerator, to sharpening photos in your iPhone, all the way to generative LLMs like ChatGPT.
December 28, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Counter point (perhaps unpopular?): we call everything that automates something that typically requires human intelligence AI (from the fridge runner to the photo sharpener to LLMs). Then when someone says they work on AI, we normalize the follow up: "oh neat, what kind of AI?"
These photos are stunning. Art at its finest. My goodness.
In January, Rama Duwaji will step into the role of New York City’s first lady. But who is she, really? Duwaji introduces herself in this Cut special-issue cover.
Rama Duwaji, First Lady of New York City
In January, Rama Duwaji will step into the role of New York City’s first lady. But who is she, really? Duwaji introduces herself in this Cut special-issue cover.
www.thecut.com
December 24, 2025 at 6:07 AM
These photos are stunning. Art at its finest. My goodness.
Part I: "Foundations"
|
|>Chapter 6: "Computational inductive research"
In which I argue for the foundational place of inductive research in computational social science, rooted in interpretation, transparency, and validation.
Thanks @tahayasseri.bsky.social for shepherding this handbook through
|
|>Chapter 6: "Computational inductive research"
In which I argue for the foundational place of inductive research in computational social science, rooted in interpretation, transparency, and validation.
Thanks @tahayasseri.bsky.social for shepherding this handbook through
December 22, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Part I: "Foundations"
|
|>Chapter 6: "Computational inductive research"
In which I argue for the foundational place of inductive research in computational social science, rooted in interpretation, transparency, and validation.
Thanks @tahayasseri.bsky.social for shepherding this handbook through
|
|>Chapter 6: "Computational inductive research"
In which I argue for the foundational place of inductive research in computational social science, rooted in interpretation, transparency, and validation.
Thanks @tahayasseri.bsky.social for shepherding this handbook through
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
How can analytical sociology harness the computational social science revolution? 🔆
👉Observe behavior in actual social environments, capture interdependent dynamics, follow up cumulative effects
🔗Access chapter 5 on strengthening mechanism-based explanations of macro phenomena osf.io/preprints/so...
👉Observe behavior in actual social environments, capture interdependent dynamics, follow up cumulative effects
🔗Access chapter 5 on strengthening mechanism-based explanations of macro phenomena osf.io/preprints/so...
December 22, 2025 at 9:24 AM
How can analytical sociology harness the computational social science revolution? 🔆
👉Observe behavior in actual social environments, capture interdependent dynamics, follow up cumulative effects
🔗Access chapter 5 on strengthening mechanism-based explanations of macro phenomena osf.io/preprints/so...
👉Observe behavior in actual social environments, capture interdependent dynamics, follow up cumulative effects
🔗Access chapter 5 on strengthening mechanism-based explanations of macro phenomena osf.io/preprints/so...
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
An absolute must read if you’re working on AI and storytelling. @tuhinchakr.bsky.social is doing important work and blowing up many common assumptions about generated writing, while coming from a principled POV.
People often dismiss A.I.-generated literature because they read books to access someone else’s consciousness. But what if they can’t tell the difference? newyorkermag.visitlink.me/GVKI7f
What if Readers Like A.I.-Generated Fiction?
If economic and technological transformations have changed our relationship with literature before, they could do so again.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
December 21, 2025 at 3:53 AM
An absolute must read if you’re working on AI and storytelling. @tuhinchakr.bsky.social is doing important work and blowing up many common assumptions about generated writing, while coming from a principled POV.
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
I wrote about some of 2025's big generative AI developments and their implications for historians: multimodal generation, deep research, and handwriting transcription. In short, we need to stop dismissing this as nothing more than "autocomplete on steroids." cblevins.github.io/posts/gen-ai...
Generative AI and History in 2025 | Cameron Blevins
Personal website for Cameron Blevins, Associate Professor, Clinical Teaching Track at University of Colorado Denver
cblevins.github.io
December 19, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I wrote about some of 2025's big generative AI developments and their implications for historians: multimodal generation, deep research, and handwriting transcription. In short, we need to stop dismissing this as nothing more than "autocomplete on steroids." cblevins.github.io/posts/gen-ai...
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
New postdoc position in Computational Social Science (80%) at the Institute of Sociology, University of Bern. Part of the Digital Society Lab.
Start April 2026.
Apply by Jan 31, 2026.
Official job posting: ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/jo...
Start April 2026.
Apply by Jan 31, 2026.
Official job posting: ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/jo...
December 19, 2025 at 12:59 PM
New postdoc position in Computational Social Science (80%) at the Institute of Sociology, University of Bern. Part of the Digital Society Lab.
Start April 2026.
Apply by Jan 31, 2026.
Official job posting: ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/jo...
Start April 2026.
Apply by Jan 31, 2026.
Official job posting: ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/jo...
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
Built a 2.5MB image classifier that runs in the browser in an evening with Claude Code.
I used a dataset I labelled in 2022 and left on @hf.co for 3 years 😬.
It finds illustrated pages in historical books. No server. No GPU.
I used a dataset I labelled in 2022 and left on @hf.co for 3 years 😬.
It finds illustrated pages in historical books. No server. No GPU.
December 19, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Built a 2.5MB image classifier that runs in the browser in an evening with Claude Code.
I used a dataset I labelled in 2022 and left on @hf.co for 3 years 😬.
It finds illustrated pages in historical books. No server. No GPU.
I used a dataset I labelled in 2022 and left on @hf.co for 3 years 😬.
It finds illustrated pages in historical books. No server. No GPU.
The ad is up for UBC. Canada Research Chairs are a sweet gig if you can get one. So apply, I guess? Vancouver is an awesome place to live.
EOI due January 15, 2026
research.ubc.ca/federal-rese...
EOI due January 15, 2026
research.ubc.ca/federal-rese...
December 18, 2025 at 7:28 PM
The ad is up for UBC. Canada Research Chairs are a sweet gig if you can get one. So apply, I guess? Vancouver is an awesome place to live.
EOI due January 15, 2026
research.ubc.ca/federal-rese...
EOI due January 15, 2026
research.ubc.ca/federal-rese...
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
The University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public is looking to bring on new postdoctoral scholars to join our research community starting in 2026-2027. Come collaborate w/ our amazing, interdisciplinary team working to understand & help people navigate our complex information ecosystem!
We're currently accepting applications to hire up to two @cip.uw.edu postdoctoral scholars to join our team in Seattle. The priority deadline to apply is January 15, 2026.
For the position description, salary range, qualifications and application process, click here: apply.interfolio.com/177901
For the position description, salary range, qualifications and application process, click here: apply.interfolio.com/177901
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
December 17, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public is looking to bring on new postdoctoral scholars to join our research community starting in 2026-2027. Come collaborate w/ our amazing, interdisciplinary team working to understand & help people navigate our complex information ecosystem!
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
2026 abstract submissions are open!
✔️ Submission deadline: March 3rd, 2026
✔️ Acceptance Notification: April 14th, 2026
View the guidelines here:
lnkd.in/eJEXvd8u
✔️ Submission deadline: March 3rd, 2026
✔️ Acceptance Notification: April 14th, 2026
View the guidelines here:
lnkd.in/eJEXvd8u
December 15, 2025 at 4:31 PM
2026 abstract submissions are open!
✔️ Submission deadline: March 3rd, 2026
✔️ Acceptance Notification: April 14th, 2026
View the guidelines here:
lnkd.in/eJEXvd8u
✔️ Submission deadline: March 3rd, 2026
✔️ Acceptance Notification: April 14th, 2026
View the guidelines here:
lnkd.in/eJEXvd8u
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
postdoc opportunity! would be a good fit for an intergroup person with NLP chops interested in the role of historical narratives
bonus, Edinburgh is a phenomenal city to live in with wonderful, walkable quality of life
elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
bonus, Edinburgh is a phenomenal city to live in with wonderful, walkable quality of life
elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
The Psychology Department in the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences are seeking a full time, fixed term Post-Doctoral Research Associate. This post is available from 1st of Septemb...
elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com
December 15, 2025 at 6:17 PM
postdoc opportunity! would be a good fit for an intergroup person with NLP chops interested in the role of historical narratives
bonus, Edinburgh is a phenomenal city to live in with wonderful, walkable quality of life
elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
bonus, Edinburgh is a phenomenal city to live in with wonderful, walkable quality of life
elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
This generally seems like a bad idea - particularly paying Qualtrics to do it.
However, there are various applications of synthetic data, or "silicon sampling", that are worth exploring. We discuss this in the context of the recent SMR special issue on gen AI: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
However, there are various applications of synthetic data, or "silicon sampling", that are worth exploring. We discuss this in the context of the recent SMR special issue on gen AI: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
December 16, 2025 at 6:58 PM
This generally seems like a bad idea - particularly paying Qualtrics to do it.
However, there are various applications of synthetic data, or "silicon sampling", that are worth exploring. We discuss this in the context of the recent SMR special issue on gen AI: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
However, there are various applications of synthetic data, or "silicon sampling", that are worth exploring. We discuss this in the context of the recent SMR special issue on gen AI: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Because it's so late in the game and because of his age, I really thought we were immune to this one. But today my 4 year old started saying six seven.
December 16, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Because it's so late in the game and because of his age, I really thought we were immune to this one. But today my 4 year old started saying six seven.
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
The New School was founded by Columbia University professors who wanted a university run by the faculty with minimal administration. For over 100 years it has been a unique institution with progressive values and incredible students and faculty from Ai Weiwei to Hannah Arendt. We are devastated.
Last week, the New School issued voluntary separation & early retirement offers to 40% of the full-time faculty & the majority of non-union staff. These cuts to the bone are an ideological attempt to decimate historic spaces of critical inquiry & social justice. Share our statement tr.ee/qQBIDCpIuj
OFFICIAL Statement from AAUP-TNS on Cuts to Faculty and Staff 12-9-25
The New School - Austerity Cuts to the Bone A Statement from the Leadership Council of AAUP-TNS On December 3, 2025, New School President Joel Towers and Provost Richard Kessler issued voluntary sep...
tr.ee
December 14, 2025 at 3:05 AM
The New School was founded by Columbia University professors who wanted a university run by the faculty with minimal administration. For over 100 years it has been a unique institution with progressive values and incredible students and faculty from Ai Weiwei to Hannah Arendt. We are devastated.
When a student uploads their assignment and the file is called "Untitled document (19).pdf"
(How do they know it's the right file? The right version? The right anything?)
(How do they know it's the right file? The right version? The right anything?)
a man says " i 'm low key " in a gym
Alt: a man says "i'm low key stressed out" in a gym (?), looking away from the camera he's holding
media.tenor.com
December 11, 2025 at 8:56 PM
When a student uploads their assignment and the file is called "Untitled document (19).pdf"
(How do they know it's the right file? The right version? The right anything?)
(How do they know it's the right file? The right version? The right anything?)
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
Everything of value and interest doesn’t start and stop at a job. Most jobs are boring anyway. Your education should move beyond vocation. My granddaddy used to operate elevators and he could tell you anything you wanted to know about world history.
December 9, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Everything of value and interest doesn’t start and stop at a job. Most jobs are boring anyway. Your education should move beyond vocation. My granddaddy used to operate elevators and he could tell you anything you wanted to know about world history.
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
We are hiring!
The Department of Network and Data Science of Central European University (Vienna) has an open position for an Assistant Professor in network science and computational social science.
The Department of Network and Data Science of Central European University (Vienna) has an open position for an Assistant Professor in network science and computational social science.
Assistant Professor (f/m/d)
Assistant Professor (f/m/d)
careers.ceu.edu
December 5, 2025 at 3:12 PM
We are hiring!
The Department of Network and Data Science of Central European University (Vienna) has an open position for an Assistant Professor in network science and computational social science.
The Department of Network and Data Science of Central European University (Vienna) has an open position for an Assistant Professor in network science and computational social science.
Yo this is the group to be in, if you're going to be in a group (imo)
Want to be an intern at Microsoft Research in the Computational Social Science group in NYC (Jake Hofman, David Rothschild, Dan Goldstein)
Follow this link and do your thing! Deadline approaching soonish!
apply.careers.microsoft.com/careers/job/...
Follow this link and do your thing! Deadline approaching soonish!
apply.careers.microsoft.com/careers/job/...
Research Intern - Computational Social Science | Microsoft Careers
Research Interns put inquiry and theory into practice. Alongside fellow doctoral candidates and some of the world's best researchers, Research Interns learn, collaborate, and network for life. Researc...
apply.careers.microsoft.com
December 6, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Yo this is the group to be in, if you're going to be in a group (imo)
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
Want to be an intern at Microsoft Research in the Computational Social Science group in NYC (Jake Hofman, David Rothschild, Dan Goldstein)
Follow this link and do your thing! Deadline approaching soonish!
apply.careers.microsoft.com/careers/job/...
Follow this link and do your thing! Deadline approaching soonish!
apply.careers.microsoft.com/careers/job/...
Research Intern - Computational Social Science | Microsoft Careers
Research Interns put inquiry and theory into practice. Alongside fellow doctoral candidates and some of the world's best researchers, Research Interns learn, collaborate, and network for life. Researc...
apply.careers.microsoft.com
December 5, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Want to be an intern at Microsoft Research in the Computational Social Science group in NYC (Jake Hofman, David Rothschild, Dan Goldstein)
Follow this link and do your thing! Deadline approaching soonish!
apply.careers.microsoft.com/careers/job/...
Follow this link and do your thing! Deadline approaching soonish!
apply.careers.microsoft.com/careers/job/...
This essay is spot on, except for one sentence: "Yet it was the attention she paid to the psychological and moral dimensions of political breakdown that made her work so distinctive." I would argue she was explicitly arguing against a psychological account in favor of a sociological account.
Great piece to mark the 50th anniversary of Hannah Arendt's death by @jenszalai.bsky.social - we are very lucky that she has continued to write about ideas and new non-fiction for the @nytimes.com all these years: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/b...
Hannah Arendt Is Not Your Icon
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 8:47 PM
This essay is spot on, except for one sentence: "Yet it was the attention she paid to the psychological and moral dimensions of political breakdown that made her work so distinctive." I would argue she was explicitly arguing against a psychological account in favor of a sociological account.
Reposted by Laura K. Nelson
After the University…page proofs
December 5, 2025 at 3:43 PM
After the University…page proofs