Paper long abstract:

In recent years, talk of 'Big Data' has conquered the political realm. In a host of reports and speeches, policymakers have sought to lay out an agenda for the governance of what has been referred to as the next "industrial revolution" (Kroes 2014). Given the importance of such guidelines for legislation, regulation, and the funding of research and innovation, this paper will provide a concise discussion of some of the key Big Data-related policy documents from both Europe and the United States, posing three distinct though interrelated questions:

1) Which sociotechnical imaginaries (Jasanoff and Kim 2009) accompany the notion of Big Data in the examined policy documents and what kind of technopolitical cultures (Felt and Müller 2011) do these visions enact?

2) How reflective are the reports of the potential ethical, legal, and social implications of Big Data activities that have been highlighted by numerous commentators, including a growing number of data sociologists (e.g. Boyd and Crawford 2012).

3) Do the reports present any discursive 'openings' that would allow SSH researchers to better connect and communicate to a political audience, not unlike the role the notion of 'responsible research and innovation' continues to play in the field of new and emerging technologies?

By addressing these questions, the paper will not only provide fresh insights regarding a pressing matter of concern, that is, the governance of Big Data, but will furthermore present potential rhetorical strategies for the social sciences and the humanities to more effectively participate in the related political debate.