Modelling as Evidence: A Working Paper Roundtable

This session takes the form of a roundtable built around a working paper by Katherine Smith, provisionally titled ‘From Pledge to Prestige: Magic and the Making of Modelled Futures in Public Health Policy’, which traces the changing status of modelling as a form of evidence for policymakers. Rather than a conventional presentation, the paper will be read alongside two further pieces on modelling and policy – Donald MacKenzie and Taylor Spears’ ‘The Formula That Killed Wall Street’, on the Gaussian copula in investment banking, and Lukas Engelmann, Catherine Montgomery, Steve Sturdy and Cristina Moreno Lozano’s ‘Domesticating Models’, on COVID-19 modelling in UK media and policy – with participants asked to read all three in advance. Kat will open with a short framing before the floor opens to discussion, guided by questions circulated ahead of the session.

Readings will be circulated in advance – to register interest, contact skape@ed.ac.uk

Click here to register.