Data Are Made, Not Found: A Story of Politics, Power, and the Civil Servants Who Saved the US Census

by danah boyd

By many measures, the US census is the government's largest nonwartime operation, and one of the world's oldest and biggest data-making endeavors. The 2020 census required more than a decade of planning and technical work―not to mention managing nearly a quarter of a million temporary workers simultaneously―to collect data about the American public. That data was then processed to count each of 331,449,281 residents once―and only once―and in the right place. The operation is also one of the country's most consequential. Census data determine how political power and federal funding are allocated. Census data make politics, and consequently, politics make census data. Danah boyd explores what it took for the Census Bureau to make the 2020 census, amidst a global pandemic and natural disasters, and while navigating political forces that constrained the budget, micromanaged the schedule, and attacked statisticians' methods.

Boyd observed and interviewed hundreds of government civil servants who made the 2020 census. By documenting the perspectives of government workers, Data Are Made, Not Found provides a rare glimpse into what it takes to make democracy's data. Each chapter reveals a different challenge and shows how civil servants responded to each problem, controversy, and hurdle. Boyd shows how many of the challenges that the Census Bureau faced in 2020 resulted from decades of political operatives, data users, and various stakeholders playing what boyd calls "Jenga politics," weakening the administrative state for short-term political gains by removing support and adding more requirements. Civil servants saved the 2020 census, but future censuses―and other data-making efforts related to elections, health, and the economy―are precarious. Boyd's message is clear and protecting democracy means protecting the people and institutions that produce this data.

Genres: Nonfiction

400 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication September 24, 2026

About the author

Dr. danah boyd is the Geri Gay Professor of Communication at Cornell University. Her research focuses on the intersection of technology and society. Her upcoming book "Data are Made, Not Found: A Story of Politics, Power, and the Civil Servants Who Saved the US Census" is an ethnography of the US Census Bureau, Jenga politics, and the struggle to make democracy's data. She has also conducted research on media manipulation, privacy practices, social media, and teen culture. Her monograph "It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens" focuses on how youth engage with social media. She founded the research institute Data & Society, where she currently serves as an advisor. She is also a fellow of AAAS, a non-residential fellow at the Center for Democracy and Technology, a trustee of the Computer History Museum, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and on the advisory board of Electronic Privacy Information Center.

Reviews

[Rory Moulton]

Data Are Made, Not Found: A Story of Politics, Power, and the Civil Servants Who Saved the US Census by Danah Boyd presents what promises to be a compelling and intellectually rigorous examination of the systems behind data creation and the political forces that shape them. Positioned at the intersection of technology, governance, and social analysis, the book challenges the common assumption that data is neutral or naturally occurring.

What makes this work particularly compelling, even ahead of its release, is its central premise that data is constructed rather than discovered. This framing immediately introduces a critical lens through which readers can reconsider how information is gathered, interpreted, and ultimately used to influence decision-making at institutional levels.

The focus on the US Census adds both historical and contemporary relevance. As one of the most significant data-collection efforts in the United States, the census serves as a powerful case study for understanding how political interests, bureaucratic processes, and human judgment intersect. By highlighting the role of civil servants, the book appears to bring attention to the often-overlooked individuals who navigate these complexities to preserve integrity within the system.

Another notable strength implied by the concept is its broader applicability. The themes of power, bias, and data construction extend far beyond the census itself, touching on issues relevant to technology, public policy, and societal structures. This positions the book as not only a focused narrative but also a contribution to wider discussions about trust, transparency, and accountability in data-driven environments.

There is also an expectation of analytical depth, given the subject matter and the author’s approach. If executed effectively, the book has the potential to resonate with both general readers and those engaged in academic or professional fields related to data, governance, and social systems.

Overall, Data Are Made, Not Found stands as a timely and potentially influential work. It is poised to engage readers who are interested in understanding the deeper mechanisms behind data and the critical role it plays in shaping modern society.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about data, statistics, and the US census that reads like a thriller This is not only a powerful story about the tenacity of civil servants and other stakeholders in the face of an administration's efforts to undermine a fair and complete count of US residents in 2020, but also a page-turner. An important read for anyone who cares about understanding the sources of legitimacy and power in democratic practice and creating "democracy's data".

[Dan Bouk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vital story! Even a hopeful one, about how it's possible to resist the forces that try to tear down our shared public goods! Written with a voice that is as inviting and fun as it is smart and sophisticated, I ate this book up.