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This study evaluates the relationship between the changes in proportion of migration-related queries reported by Google Trends and changes in volume of migration flows between origin and destination countries. The study assesses if cost-free Google Trends improves the prediction of international migratory flows, and whether it could be proposed as a tool for organizations and policymakers. Previous research has used the activity of email users and other online services to track human mobility. At the same time, IP geolocation linked to Google Search has proven to be efficient in geographically tracking outbreaks of illnesses, as well as predicting changes in economic indicators and travel patterns. This research draws from both experiences. It uses a regression analysis of time series data to compare the popularity of migration related queries introduced to Google Search in Colombia, Argentina andPeru, to changes in a quantity of residents' registrations in Spain, performed by immigrants proceeding from these countries between the years 2005 and 2010. The results show a significant correlation and weak to moderate predictability for the lags of several months depending on the particular country. The findings demonstrate that trends in queries to Google Search provided by Google Trends might constitute a useful predictor of migration flows. At the same time, it indicates the need for further technological developments to improve analytical capacities.

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The proficiency in vernacular has long been a methodological ethos pervasive among field researchers and—despite new dynamics of fieldwork—still overshadows discussions related to collaboration with translators and interpreters, which are either marginalized or hidden within the category of a ‘research assistant’. The purpose of this study is to take a step beyond anecdotal evidence and explore trends in language proficiency and use of translation services among US based field researchers who had conducted international or domestic studies in an area where a language other than English was present. We conducted the largest-to-date survey on the subject and analyzed 913 responses from faculty at sociology and anthropology programs in the United States. We documented their global fieldwork activity and found only limited proficiency in field languages accompanied by a proliferation of reliance on translators and interpreters, not matching any methodological discussion present in the textbooks and other scholarly sources. We indicate disparities in the use of vernacular and translation services in the post-colonial societies and point out related ethical and methodological concerns. Furthermore, we analyze the researchers’ decision-making processes and their general perspectives on the importance of vernacular’s knowledge and opinions on the admissibility of translators in the fieldwork.

With advances in technological sciences, individuals can utilize low-cost air monitoring sensors to record air quality at homes, schools, and businesses. Air quality data collected from LCSs are publicly accessible, informing the community of the air quality around them. It is important to measure local and regional particulate matter (PM) concentrations to keep the public involved, especially those with specific health concerns, such as asthma, wheezing, and seasonal allergies. The number of studies involving the use of LCSs to evaluate PM levels is increasing with more manufacturers producing ‘easy to use’ LCSs targeting the public. The goal of this review is to understand and incorporate the findings from studies using LCSs to analyze PM of various sizes, i.e., PM1, PM2.5, PM4, and PM10. This review integrates analyses from 51 different studies in 14 countries, including the U.S. The findings indicate spatial heterogeneity in the PM concentrations across a region. Some of the low-cost sensor manufacturers mentioned in these studies include Plantower, AQMesh, Alpha-sense, PurpleAir, E-MOTEs, and Shinyei. This review emphasizes the importance of LCSs in the field of PM monitoring and its potential to inform the public about their exposure burden, and to aid state and federal decision makers in formulating policies for mitigating the effects of PM pollution in any urban or rural setting.