The Life of a Number : Measurement, Meaning and the Media

Do numbers have a life of their own or do we give them meaning?

How do data play a role in constructing people’s perceptions of the world around them?

How far can we trust numbers to speak truth to power?

The COVID-19 pandemic offers a unique moment to answer these questions.

This book examines how politicians, experts and journalists gave meaning to data through the story of seven iconic numbers from the pandemic. Shedding light on a new dawn of data, this book makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of the relationship between numbers, meaning and society.