Rob Kitchin’s book The Data Revolution is forthcoming later this year from Sage.

Traditionally, data has been a scarce commodity which, given its value, has been either jealously guarded or expensively traded.  In recent years, technological developments and political lobbying have turned this position on its head. Data now flow as a deep and wide torrent, are low in cost and supported by robust infrastructures, and are increasingly open and accessible.

A data revolution is underway, one that is already reshaping how knowledge is produced, business conducted, and governance enacted, as well as raising many questions concerning surveillance, privacy, security, profiling, social sorting, and intellectual property rights.

In contrast to the hype and hubris of much media and business coverage, The Data Revolution provides a synoptic and critical analysis of the emerging data landscape.

He has now made a companion website available, which includes a very extensive bibliography. It’s good to see all of this – the support material for the book, the sharing of resources, and the critical engagement with these questions. See also the recent commentary at Society and Space on the need for critical data studies.