CS 6125

Non-Ideal Algorithmic Fairness

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

This seminar course will explore algorithmic fairness through a non-ideal lens. Rather than imagining what algorithmic fairness should look like in an ideal world, we will explore what the research tells us it looks like today, and what can be done given the incentives and practical constraints of the world we are in. For instance, the “silver bullets” of algorithmic fairness are often abstract calls made to increase participation, transparency, and regulation. However, each approach faces difficulties in practice. In an era where algorithmic fairness faces resistance from many fronts, it is critical that we foreground concrete proposals in addition to abstract ideals. In doing so, we’ll also discuss the consequences of taking on a perspective that might be overly reformist at the expense of radical re-imagining, and think through whether complementarity exists.

Last 3 terms offered (None)

Learning Outcomes REF-FA25

• Identify the practical constraints that algorithmic fairness faces today, and pathways to overcoming them.
• Demonstrate ability to propose productive directions.
• Develop critical research paper reading and analysis skills

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