The use of big data in interdisciplinary research on example of the Greater Mediterranean macroregion

Abstract

Big data collection and analysis technologies are being intensively introduced into the social, economic and political spheres in countries and macroregions, including the Mediterranean region. This fact actualises the prospects of interdisciplinary research at the intersection of sociology, political science and regional studies. The article examines the benefits and risks of using these technologies in listed areas, taking Spain and the Middle East as examples. Among the main problems and threats, the authors consider the following: personal data confidentiality breach, and increased data manipulation for political purposes, the emergence of illegitimate forms of citizens self-organisation, the transition of Internet users to anonymous accounts due to the practice of “privatization” of personal data by non-state and terrorist groups in regional spaces, preventing the qualitative collection of data. The need to solve these problems at the international level was noted. The range of possibilities offered by working with big data to provide pragmatic and effective socio-political forecasting and operational regional studies is shown.