481. The Data of Empire (ft. Roopika Risam)

We chat with Roopika Risam — author of Data Empire: How Information Shaped Human History — about the very long history of data and the many ways that empires have used data to gain power, exercise control, and enforce order on the world. We discuss the patterns of power/knowledge that persist over time—like the constant rediscovery of race science—braiding together practices of data and power over thousands of years, leading to our current period where we must “let data reign,” as Trump recently proclaimed. ••• Data Empires | Roopika Risam https://www.penguin.com.au/books/data-empire-9781911709824 ••• The Pan-African Data Project https://www.panafricandata.org/en/ Standing Plugs: ••• Order Jathan’s book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite ••• Subscribe to Ed’s substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble ••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)