This book offers a much needed critical introduction to data mining and ‘big data’. Supported by multiple case studies and examples, the authors provide:Digestible overviews of key terms and concepts relevant to using social media data in quantitative research.A critical review of data mining and ‘big data’ from a complexity science perspective, including its future potential and limitationsA practical exploration of the challenges of putting together and ...

The history of public health has focused on direct relationships between problems and solutions: vaccinations against diseases, ad campaigns targeting risky behaviors. But the accelerating pace and mounting intricacies of our lives are challenging the field to find new scientific methods for studying community health. The complexities of place (COP) approach is emerging as one such promising method.Place and Health as Complex Systems demonstrates how COP works, making an e...