CYBERPOLITICS - POS 353/453

Spring 2005

Professor Erickson

 

Professor: Christian Erickson (cerickso@roosevelt.edu - http://faculty.roosevelt.edu/erickson/)

Meeting Times: Thursdays, 6:00-8:30pm.

Location: AUD 528.

Office Hours:

Downtown Campus: T and Th 11:25-12:00, 4:00-5:30, 8:40-9:00pm, or by appointment, in AUD 752.

Schaumburg Campus: By appointment only in Robin 808C.

Office Location(s): AUD 752 and Robin 808C (second floor).

Phone Number: 312 341 3707(voice mail); (847) 619-8357 (808C/voice mail).

 

Course objectives:  The goal of this course is to give students the ability to critically understand and evaluate the unique political dynamics that take place in “cyberspace” (in particular the Internet/WWW), hence the title of this course “cyberpolitics.”  This course is explicitly interdisciplinary in nature given the subject matter, and draws on the disciplines of political science, sociology, media studies, legal studies, science and technology studies, and where appropriate, both governmental reports and reports by civil liberties, privacy, and other advocacy NGOs who are interested in shaping debates, and defending their interests, in cyberspace.  This course will pay particular attention to the way in which formal political structures and citizens have attempted to adapt to the impact of the unique information architecture of cyberspace, and develop both strategies and tactics of political contestation for this relatively new domain of human activity and communication.  Additionally this course will also examine the conflict between the openness and democratic potential of the web, and the need of states, corporations, and individuals to have a sense of security and trust in this network.  We will also examine inequality of access to the benefits of the web/internet, criminality, dissent, terrorism and war in cyberspace.    

 

Prerequisites:  None, but assumes students have taken upper division social science courses and have an interest in the subject matter.

 

Course texts and other materials:  All books are available at the Roosevelt University bookstore and will be placed on reserve.

 

Required Texts:

 

1)        Kalathil, Shanthi and Taylor C. Boas. 2003. Open Networks, Closed Regimes: The Impact of the Internet on Authoritarian Rule. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Washington, DC.

 

2)        Latham, Robert, ed. 2003. Bombs and Bandwidth: The Emerging Relationship Between Information Technology and Security. New Press/Social Science Research Council: New York.

 

3)        Pippa, Norris. 2001. Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty, and the Internet Worldwide. Cambridge University Press: New York.

 

On-line required and recommended texts: I will be using the course website to distribute, or provide links to, recent articles and other sources that reflect themes covered in the course.  Some of these readings are required readings, and others are texts that are recommended for use in either your research papers, or if you are interested in exploring particular subjects in greater depth.  If accessing materials on the web is difficult for you, I will also have photocopies of the materials either for distribution in class or that will be placed on reserve.

 

Current events requirement: Students are expected to keep up with current events generally related to the web/internet, and particularly related to the subjects, countries, regions, which are assigned for any particular week.  Links to relevant news sources will be provided from course website for classes starting February 1st.

 

Course Assignments: This course places equal emphasis on readings and lecture.  All students are expected to have completed weekly reading and other assignments prior to coming to class.  Undergraduate students are required to do a presentation and lead a discussion during class on a subject raised by the readings for at least 20 minutes during one class session.  Graduate students will be required to do a presentation and lead a discussion during class on a subject raised by the readings of their own research for at least 45 minutes. A more detailed description of the presentation assignment, and possible topics, will be distributed on the second class (February 3rd), you must schedule a week for your presentation by February 17th, and the presentations will begin on February 24th.  The subjects for the presentations will be drawn from suggested subjects listed on the presentation assignment distributed on February 3rd, or negotiated between the student and the professor.  Ideally presentations should reflect issues raised by the readings assigned for that week.

 

Total class grade will be derived from your participation in several ways:

Class participation:          30% of the total class grade

(Attendance, in-class participation/assignments, weekly assignments 15% - leading class discussion 15%).

Midterm examination:    20% March 10th.

Research/Term paper:    25%.     

Cumulative final exam:     25%.                  

 

There will be no make-up examinations without medical excuse or prior arrangement with the professor.

 

Course website: Our course also has a website: http://faculty.roosevelt.edu/Erickson/courses/pos353-453/. The syllabus is posted on this site, and it will be used for announcements, archiving lecture slides, providing research links, distributing or providing links to supplemental articles, and other purposes as we collectively decide over the course of the semester.

 

Term/Research paper: 

Undergraduates: Each of you will write a term paper of ten to twelve typed, double-spaced pages (12 point fonts only please) on a topic of your choice that pertains to the themes of the course. The term paper should not be a report on a subject, but rather should 1) address a theoretical question that is introduced by one of the readings for class, which is 2) backed up by empirical evidence that is organized according to the criteria discussed in lecture. You must then 3) state your own opinion, and 4) substantiate your opinion with facts.  A more detailed overview of the term paper assignment will be distributed on the second class (February 3rd). 

 

Graduate Students: You will write a research paper of 15 to 20 typed, double-spaced pages, following the same general guidelines. However, I will expect that the papers will involve more in-depth research, and will include a literature review section that summarizes and critiques the state of the art literature covering the area of your research.

 

The subject of the research paper should examine issues related to the contemporary themes of the course, meaning the contemporary issues involving politics and cyberspace.  A comprehensive list of possible subjects for the research paper will be on the detailed summary overview of the term paper assignment distributed on February 3rd.

 

Web Component of Term Paper Assignment:  Each student will create a web version of their paper for posting on the course website.  At this time, this will involve primarily saving the word processing document as an “.html” file and then e-mailing it to the professor.  In order to give all students the ability to create a web version of the paper, we will be scheduling at least part of two of the class sessions in a computer lab during which the professor will instruct the students how to create a web viewable version of their paper.  Computer labs will be scheduled for April 7th, and April 14th.  Web version of paper must be e-mailed to professor, or if access issues are resolved, posted to the server space assigned for student web projects, before the final exam.

 

Late Policy/Plagiarism: Without a valid medical or other excuse or prior permission of instructor late papers will be penalized 3 points (on a 100 point scale) for each 24 hour period the paper is late, and 5 points for each 24 hour period after 48 hours.  Students are required to review Roosevelt University policies on plagiarism and will be held to standards of scholarship outlined in these policies.  If plagiarism is detected the student will receive a 0 for the paper, will be reported as specified in the Roosevelt University plagiarism policy, and runs a very good chance of receiving an F in the class.  All students are required to submit both a hard copy and an electronic copy of their papers for scanning by plagiarism detection software.

 

Course Schedule:

 

Class 1: January 27th.

Readings: No readings, first class meeting.

 

Class 2: February 3rd. Cyberspace: Origins, Technologies, and Political Terrain.

Readings:

·           Sterling, Bruce. 1992. The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier. url: <http://www.mit.edu/hacker/hacker.html> (Preface, Chronology, Introduction, Part One). Accessed 01/27/2004.

·           Computer History Museum. 2004. Internet History Exhibit. <http://computerhistory.org/exhibits/internet_history/> Accessed 01/27/2004.

·           Pippa. Digital Divide. Contents, Preface and Chapter 1 (vii-26).

·           Latham. Bombs and Bandwith. Acknowledgements – Chapter 1 (v-21).

 

Research paper and Presentation assignments distributed.

 

February 7th – Last day to add course or change course grade to pass/fail/audit.

 

Class 3: February 10th.  Wiring in Inequality and Conflict?

Readings:

·           Digital Divide Chapter 2 and 3 (26-67).

·           Bombs and Bandwidth Chapter 1 (25-48).

·           Schiavetta, Susan; Komaitis, Konstantinos. 2003. “ICANN's role in controlling information on the internet.” International Review of Law, Computers & Technology. November 2003, 17(3).  EBSCO.

Graduate Readings:

·           Basu, Subhajit. 2004. “E-Government and Developing Countries: An Overview.” International Review of Law, Computers & Technology. Mar2004, Vol. 18(1). EBSCO.

 

Class 4: February 17th. Consequences of Cyber-Inequality.

Readings:  

·           Digital Divide Chapter 4 (68-92).

·           U.S. Department of Commerce. Economics and Statistics Administration. National Telecommunications and Information Administration. 2004. A Nation Online: Entering the Broadband Age. <http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/anol2004/NationOnlineBroadband04.htm> Accessed 01/27/2004. Read Executive Summary, Introduction, and Reasons for Non-Use.

Graduate Readings:

·           Read entirety of A Nation Online.

 

Due: Paper topic tentative choice – presentation date topic selection.

 

Class 5: February 24th. Governance, Government and Cyberspace.

Readings:

·           Digital Divide Chapter 5-6 (95-131).

Graduate Readings:

·           Leith, Philip and John Morison. 2004. “Communication and Dialogue: What Government Websites Might Tell Us About Citizenship and Governance.” International Review of Law, Computers & Technology. March 2004, 18(1). EBSCO.

 

Presentations Begin.

 

Midterm Review Guide Distributed and discussed.

 

Class 6: March 3rd.  Cyberthreats and Response.

Readings:

·           Bombs and Bandwidth Chapter 2 and 3 (51-98).

Graduate Readings:

·           Serio, Joseph D.; Gorkin, Alexander. 2003. “Changing Lenses: Striving for Sharper Focus on the Nature of the 'Russian Mafia' and its Impact on the Computer Realm.” International Review of Law, Computers & Technology. July 2003. 17(2). EBSCO.

 

Video: Frontline’s Hackers and Cyberwar. Prof. Erickson at a conference this week.

 

Class 7: March 10th.

Midterm Exam.

 

Spring Break: Week of March 14th (no class on March 15 and 17th). Have a great spring break!!!

 

Class 8: March 24th.  Governments, Parties and Cyberspace.

Readings:

·           Digital Divide Chapter 7-8 (132-170).

Graduate Readings:

·           Loncke, Mieke and Jos Dumortier. 2004. “Online Voting: A Legal Perspective.” International Review of Law, Computers & Technology. March 2004, 18(1). EBSCO.

 

Midterm Exam returned.

 

Due: Paper Description w/Bibliography.

 

March 25th – Last day to withdraw from course with “W” option.

 

Class 9: March 31st. Regimes, Civil Societies and Cyberspace.

Readings:

·           Digital Divide Chapter 9

·           Open Networks, Closed Regimes, Forward-Chapter 2 (ix-42).

Graduate Readings:

·           Sassen, Saskia. 2004. “Local Actors in Global Politics.” Current Sociology. July 2004, 52(4).

 

Class 10: April 7th. Regimes and Cultures of Cyberspace.

Readings:

·           Digital Divide Chapter 10.

·           Open Networks, Closed Regimes, Chapter 3-4 (43-102).

·           Rajan, Mira T Sundara. 2002. “Moral Rights in the Digital Age: New Possibilities for the Democratization of Culture.” International Review of Law, Computers & Technology. July 2002, 16(2). EBSCO.

Graduate Readings:

·           Beier, J.Marshall. 2003. “'Emailed applications are preferred': ethical practices in mine action and the idea of global civil society.” Third World Quarterly. October 2003, 24(5). EBSCO.

 

Computer Lab.

 

Class 11: April 14th. Political Participation and Cyberspace.

Readings:

·           Digital Divide Chapter 11 (217-231).

·           Open Networks, Closed Regimes Chapter 5 (103-134).

·           Milone, Mark. 2003. “Hacktivism: Securing the National Infrastructure.” Knowledge, Technology & Policy. Spring2003, 16(1).

 

 

Graduate Readings (note reading updated 04/07/05):

·         Timofeeva, Yulia A. 2003. "Hate Speech Online: Restricted or Protected? Comparison of Regulations in the United States and Germany." Journal of Transnational Law and Policy. Spring 2003, 12(3).

 

Computer Lab.

 

Class 12: April 21st. Surveillance, Privacy, Civil Liberties.

Readings:

·           Bombs and Bandwidth Chapters 4-6 (101-153).

·           American Civil Liberties Union “Bigger Monster Weaker Chains: The Growth of an American Surveillance Society.” 2003. <http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=11573&c=39>. Accessed 01/27/2004. Read to page 7.

Graduate Readings:

·           Read all of “Bigger Monster Weaker Chains.”

 

Due: Paper Description/Outline w/Annotated Bibliography

 

Class 13: April 28th. Cyberwarfare.

Readings:

·           Bombs and Bandwidth Chapters 7-9 (157-212).

·        Note: reading updated 04/14/05. 

       William Yurcik and David Doss. 2001. "Internet Attacks: A Policy Framework for Rules of Engagement," Presented at the 29th Research Conference on Communication, Information and Internet Policy (TPRC) Alexandria VA USA, Oct. 2001.

Graduate Readings:

·           Alexander, David. 2003. “From Cyberspace to Battlespace.” Military Technology. December 2003. 27(12)

Final Exam Guide distributed.

 

Paper Description/Outline/Annotated Bibliography assignment returned.

 

Class 14: May 5th. Future of Cyberspace.

Readings:

·           Digital Divide Chapter 12 (232-240).

·           Open Networks, Closed Regimes Chapter 6 (135-153).

 

Final Paper Due.

 

Final Exam Guide discussed.

 

Final Exam – May 12th (Thursday) 6:00-8:30pm.

Final Paper returned during Final Exam.

 

Grades available from Prof. Erickson via e-mail request as of May 14th, 2005.

 

Grades submitted on-line and available via access May 18th, 2005 (early evening).