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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "COM 311"
COURSE NAME: "Digital Media Culture"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session II 2016
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Tracy Mitrano
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MTWTH 11:00 AM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: COM 220
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides students with a number of theoretical approaches to critically assess how digital media function and their expanding and expansive role in contemporary culture. The course further investigates digital media convergence in order to develop a critical lexicon that can both chart its development and engage in intellectual interventions in its use within the transformations occuring in more traditional cultural forms such as television, film, popular music, print, and radio. Special emphasis will be placed on the specific cultural, political, economic, and social issues raised by digital media forms.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Introduction:

                        What is the thesis?

                        What is the books methodology?  (What evidence do they use and what kind of perspective do they use to analyze the evidence, for example: legal theory, social science techniques, historical comparisons, cultural studies, etc.?)

                        How well does their methodology map to the evidence and what is the analysis?

                        What is the conclusion?   Here you can state your opinion about the persuasiveness of the argument, flaws or compliments of the author’s approach and analysis.

A Little about me

At John Cabot, I am a Visiting Professor of Communications and Law.  Back in the states, I am the Academic Dean of the University of Massachusetts Trust Assurance and Cybersecurity Program.  Prior to this position, I was the Director of Information Technology Policy at Cornell University for over 12 years.  I have a doctorate in American History from Binghamton University and a juris doctor degree from Cornell Law School.  This is my third summer teaching at John Cabot University.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

            Finally each student should choose a topic within the scope of those covered in the course and will be responsible for providing a presentation, either as an individual or in a group, to the class on the subject.  These presentations should not be restricted to an interpretation of the required book but involve additional reading and other resources to learn more, and teach all of us, what your research has uncovered.  Presentation style and format are open: Power point, video, class theater … up to you!  Anything that is in a tangible format should be made available for posting onto the LMS and be open for on-line as well as in class comment.

 Once we get together in the first few days we will firm up the schedule to accommodate your interests, projects and presentations!

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Refer to the course Schedule...     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
AssignmentsThe readings are full books. The Amazon link is not to promote Amazon but for your ability to choose digital format if you like. We will read these books in common in order to have material to discuss as a group. In addition to reading and discussion of the books, I will ask that you each write up a short book review ( 1.5 pages) of each of our common books using this outline below. We will use the Learning Management System to post and comment on these reviews.  

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the cour
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

 Regular attendance is required.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

This course is an introduction to Internet and information technology law and policy.  Beginning with a brief history of the Internet and its development from scientific and engineering discoveries of packet-switching through the creation of the DARPA-funded network system and transition to Department of Commerce oversight as it became the “Internet” open to the public, the course will address principal legal and policy issues pertaining to it.  These issues (and learning objectives) include:

•      How to situate “Internet” law in the U.S. legal tradition of constitutional, legislative and administrative law

•      “Law of the Horse” and the Lessig Four-Factor Analytic Framework for Internet Studies

•      Global Internet Governance

•      Communications and Internet Service Provider Law and Policy from the Communications Decency Act to the Open Internet

•      Privacy: Government Electronic Surveillance from the first “wiretapping” law through the Electronic Privacy Communications, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance, and Freedom Acts with attention to conundrums surrounding the Snowden disclosures

•      Privacy:  Consumer privacy law and regulatory compliance: Role of F.C.C. and F.T.C. with transaction sites as well as “free” sites such as Google and Facebook

•      Cybersecurity: Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and famous cases representing it: Morris and Schwartz

•      Cybersecurity: Advanced Persistent Threats; International Organized Crime; Advocacy and Insurgents

•      Intellectual Property: Focus on copyright and its role in “ownership” and control of Internet content

Week One

 

           Introduction, Course Content Overview (Governance, Communications, Free Speech, Intellectual Property, Privacy), Brief History of the Internet, Lessig Four Factors Analysis,

 

 

Readings:         Barlow, “The Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace”

                        Easterbrook, “Law of the Horse”

                        Lessig, Code, Introduction and Chapter 7

                        Goldstein and Wu, Who Controls the Internet

 

                        One-page book due by 5:00pm Friday July 7

 

Week Two

            Communications Law and Free Speech,

 

            Citron, Hate Crimes in Cyberspace    

 

            Wednesday: Guest Lecture:  Ben Cole of KnowMe, M.A. Computer Science, Cambridge University

            Thursday: Guest Lecture: Livia Pioto, JCU Library, on Library Research Methods

           

            One-page book report on Hate Crimes due by 5:00pm Friday July 14

 

Week Three

            Privacy

 

            Solove, Understanding Privacy

            Screening of CitizenFour

            Class debate on the iPhone Case

 

Week Four

            Security and Intellectual Property

 

            Research the Robert Morris “Computer Worm Incident of 1988” and other CFAA issues/incidents

            Research Aaron Schwartz

            Screening of Internet’s Own Boy

 

Week Five

            Class Project: Internet Time Line

            Class Presentations on Papers

            Work on final paper, 5-7 pages on a topic of your choice within the scope of the course.

            Final paper takes the place of an exam and is due Friday, August 5 by 12:00pm

 

Grading

 

           There are no uniform exams for this course.  Each student should be prepared to engage in Socratic dialogue with the instructor based on readings and the development of course content and to contribute on-going and original thought in class discussion.  Group work will be incorporated into class exercises as well as student-student evaluation as an integral component of course work.

           Students will also identify in consultation with the instructor a research topic.  On-going consultation with the professor is encouraged throughout the duration of the research.  Final product will be in the form of standard term paper and presentation of the material to the class.  These presentations will be made throughout the course and do not have to coincide with the final paper.   Students are further encouraged to consider topics early in the course.  Scheduling of the presentations will be made within the first couple weeks of the course and dependent on class size and weekly topics.

 

           Grading will be based on all of these components of the course.

 

 

Bibliography

 

Barlow, John Perry, “A Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace,” https://www.eff.org/cyberspace-independence 

 Citron, Danielle, Hate Crimes in Cyberspace, Harvard, 2014.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NEFS9YC/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1

 Easterbrook, Frank H., “Cyberspace and the Law of the Horse,” 1996 U Chi Legal F 207 https://www.law.upenn.edu/law619/f2001/week15/easterbrook.pdf

 Goldstein, Jack and Wu, Tim,  Who Controls the Internet: Illusions of a Borderless World, Oxford University Press, 2006, Amazon information:  http://www.amazon.com/Who-Controls-Internet-Illusions-Borderless/dp/0195340647

Lessig, Lawrence, Code, Basic Books, 1996, found on line here: http://codev2.cc/download+remix/Lessig-Codev2.pdf

Solove, Dan, Understanding Privacy, Harvard, 2008 https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Privacy-Daniel-J-Solove/dp/0674035070