Dear Colleagues, **** Only a few places left for the Oxford "Big Data" conference! (20-21 Sept, Oxford) http://microsites.oii.ox.ac.uk/ipp2012/ **** Keynotes: Nigel Shadbolt, Duncan Watts Most of today's social activities leave digital trails that can be collected in large and complex datasets - this 'Big Data' presents tremendous research opportunities, and has created a buzz in government, business, and academia. The Oxford Internet Institute (University of Oxford) will be holding a two day conference next week to examine the potentials and challenges of Big Data to inform policy debates and advance social science research (20-21 September 2012, St Anne's College, Oxford). It will also encourage discussion about Big Data across disciplinary boundaries. Topics include political campaigning, collective action and political dissent, sentiment analysis, prediction of large-scale social movements, Big Data in government and to inform public policy, social networks, and ethical and methodological challenges. There will also be sessions on the new research opportunities being opened up for social and political scientists, how to visualise Big Data, and new tools for social research. Details of the conference, including programme information and registration, are available at: http://microsites.oii.ox.ac.uk/ipp2012/ Contact: Pauline Smith, Events Officer Oxford Internet Institute University of Oxford Tel: 01865 287210 ipp2012@oii.ox.ac.uk http://microsites.oii.ox.ac.uk/ipp2012/