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"Robert A. Wortham shines a light on W. E. B. Du Bois's role in shaping the scientific scope of the sociological perspective through his pioneering contributions in the areas of demography, urban and rural sociology, Southern Black Belt studies, and religion and society"--

W.E.B. Du Bois discussed key aspects of the new field of sociology in his early writings. This article presents Du Bois' conception of the developing field and his sociological perspective based on nine of his key original sociological writings. Rather than generating theoretical formulations and studying abstract concepts, Du Bois insisted that sociology be an empirical science adhering to the methods utilized by the physical sciences. Sociology's major objectives are to study the "deeds of men" and to provide a science of human action. Sociological research seeks the discovery of "truth" which can form the basis of social policy. Noting that the regularity of human behavior is evidence of laws and acknowledging that human behavior is also subject to chance factors, sociology must seek to determine the limits of each. Du Bois' research methods, based on methodological triangulation, were formulated to provide the "truths" which he eagerly sought. Du Bois was convinced that these truths were worth knowing and that sociology had the promise of becoming one of the "greatest sciences." Attention directed toward Du Bois' key sociological writings within sociology curricula will introduce current and future readers to the groundbreaking sociological work of the pioneer sociologist.

The Sociological Souls of Black Folk is a collection of sixteen sociological essays published by W.E.B. Du Bois between 1897 and 1902. The first eight essays included in the volume provided the foundation for The Souls of Black Folk, and collectively these sixteen essays showcase the work of one of the pioneering figures in the development of American sociology.

This paper relates the results of deliberation of youth juries about the use of autonomous weapons systems (AWS). The discourse that emerged from the juries centered on several key issues. The jurors expressed the importance of keeping the humans in the decision-making process when it comes to militarizing artificial intelligence, and that only humans are capable of moral agency. They discussed the perennial issue of control over AWS and possibility of something going wrong, either with software or hardware. Concerns over proliferation of AWS and possible arms race also entered the discussion and the jurors were skeptical about the possibility of regulation and compliance once AWS enter military arsenals. We conclude that the juries were very apprehensive and hostile to the introduction of autonomous weapons systems into military conflicts.

AbstractData and autonomous systems are taking over our lives, from healthcare to smart homes very few aspects of our day to day are not permeated by them. The technological advances enabled by these technologies are limitless. However, with advantages so too come challenges. As these technologies encompass more and more aspects of our lives, we are forgetting the ethical, legal, safety and moral concerns that arise as an outcome of integrating our lives with technology. In this work, we study the lifecycle of artificial intelligence from data gathering to deployment, providing a structured analytical assessment of the potential ethical, safety and legal concerns. The paper then presents the foundations for the first ethical artificial intelligence sustainability statement to guide future development of AI in a safe and sustainable manner.