Introduction to Computational Social Sciences

Course content

This course aims to introduce the core ideas and debates of Computational Social Science (CSS) through a non-technical, theory-driven framework by critically examining how these developments reshape the ontology and epistemology of social inquiry. Rather than teaching programming or advanced computational techniques, it provides a conceptual and applied introduction to how computational methods and digital data reconfigure traditional research design, methodological reasoning, and theoretical development in the social sciences. The course foregrounds epistemology, validity, algorithmic bias, and the ethical challenges of big data environments. Through close reading of foundational texts and discussion of exemplary applied studies, students critically assess how computational approaches extend, challenge, or transform social theory.