Life by Algorithms: How Roboprocesses Are Remaking Our World

Life by Algorithms examines how automated decision-making systems and algorithmic processes have become embedded in daily life. The book analyzes the increasing role of robots, artificial intelligence, and automated systems across sectors including healthcare, education, criminal justice, and financial services. Through research and case studies, anthropologist Catherine Besteman documents the real-world impacts of replacing human judgment with computational processes. She investigates how algorithms shape opportunities, resources, and outcomes for different populations. The work draws on interviews with technology developers, policymakers, and people directly affected by algorithmic systems. Besteman traces the origins of automated decision-making and examines both the technical architecture and social implications of these systems. By exploring the intersection of technology, power, and human agency, this book raises fundamental questions about accountability and control in an increasingly automated world. The analysis challenges readers to consider who benefits from algorithmic governance and what is lost when human processes become computerized.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Catherine L. Besteman's overall work: Based on available reader reviews, Besteman's work receives attention from academic and activist audiences interested in racism, refugee issues, and immigration policy. Readers appreciate her detailed ethnographic research, particularly in "Making Refuge" about Somali Bantu refugees. Multiple reviewers note her ability to connect personal stories to broader policy implications. A Goodreads reviewer writes that her "nuanced analysis brings depth to understanding refugee resettlement challenges." Critics argue her writing can be too academic and dense for general readers. Some reviews mention her works require significant background knowledge of anthropological concepts. One Amazon reviewer found "Transforming Cape Town" "heavily theoretical and hard to follow." Ratings: Making Refuge (2016) - Goodreads: 4.1/5 (37 ratings) - Amazon: 4.5/5 (8 ratings) Transforming Cape Town (2008) - Goodreads: 3.7/5 (6 ratings) - Amazon: 4.0/5 (2 ratings) Life By Algorithms (2019) - Goodreads: 4.0/5 (5 ratings)

Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil This investigation reveals how algorithms and big data shape decisions in education, employment, and criminal justice, affecting millions of lives through automated systems.

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff The book examines how digital technologies transform human behavior into data for profit, creating new forms of power relationships and social control.

Automating Inequality by Virginia Eubanks The text explores how automated decision-making systems in public services impact poor and working-class people through digital profiling and automated eligibility systems.

Hello World: Being Human in the Age of Algorithms by Hannah Fry The work examines the role of algorithms in justice, healthcare, transportation, and other critical aspects of modern life through real-world cases and mathematical insights.

The Black Box Society by Frank Pasquale This analysis reveals how digital technologies and algorithms control information, reputation, and money through hidden mechanisms in contemporary society.

🔹 Catherine Besteman's research for this book included studying algorithmic decision-making in diverse sectors like criminal justice, healthcare, and financial services, revealing how automated systems often perpetuate existing social inequalities. 🔹 The book explores how algorithms have become so embedded in daily life that the average person interacts with around 1,000 algorithmic decisions each day, from Netflix recommendations to credit scores. 🔹 One of the key case studies in the book examines how predictive policing algorithms in American cities have been shown to disproportionately target low-income and minority neighborhoods. 🔹 The author is a Professor of Anthropology at Colby College and received a Guggenheim Fellowship to support her research on the human impact of automated decision-making systems. 🔹 While many books on algorithms focus on technical aspects, "Life by Algorithms" uniquely examines the cultural and social implications of replacing human judgment with automated processes.