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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CMS/BUS 385"
COURSE NAME: "Surveillance, Privacy and Social Identities: Practices and Representations"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session II 2016
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Tracy Mitrano
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MTWTH 2:00 PM 3:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course provides an in-depth analysis of the technical, social, cultural and political contexts and the implications of increasingly ubiquitous surveillance practices. The focus of the course will be in analyzing the deployment and implementation of specific surveillance practices within mediated digital environments and the other spaces of everyday life. Concepts such as privacy and secrecy will be analyzed as they relate to the general field of surveillance. The course will focus on the ways in which these practices circulate within the spaces of culture, cut through specific social formations and are disseminated in the global mediascape. Particular attention will be placed on the ways in which the concept and procedures of surveillance are imagined, represented and contained in popular culture.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Privacy is the most important policy issue of the 21st information economy.  Technology, moving in concert with a global market, has impinged on social norms that frame individual privacy while the law struggles to catch up.  Through the categories of government electronic surveillance, consumer privacy and information risk management, this course explores discrete topics such as global Internet governance of privacy and security, corporate management of big data and the impact on consumers (i.e. Google and Facebook) with attention to administrative law oversight and public privacy laws and the need for reform in Europe as well as in the United States.

SUMMARY OF THE COURSE:

Summary of the Five Types of Privacy Law in the Anglo-American legal tradition



Relationship between government electronic surveillance and consumer privacy



Impact of technology and the market on social laws and privacy law



Privacy law reform



EU and US comparative law on privacy



Information risk management, i.e. privacy and security in a corporate context



Information technology policy and privacy considerations

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students should be conversant in the above mentioned issues and have developed acting vocabulary and skills to apply working concepts in these areas in their work environment.

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control Your WorldBruce SchneierW. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (February 8, 2016)039335217X     
American Privacy: The 400-Year History of Our Most Contested RightLane, Frederick SBeacon Press, 2008978-0807006191 https://www.amazon.com/American-Privacy-400-Year-History-Contested/dp/080700619X    
Understanding PrivacySolove, DanHarvard, 2008978-0674035072     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Attendance and Participation 50%
Book Reports 15%
Presentation of Project and Written Report  35%

-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 course.
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:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY

You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
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

Week One      Foundations and Historical Perspective

 

                              

Frederick S. Lane, American Privacy: The 400-Year History of Our Most Contested Right

 

A one-page review of this book will be due on July 7 at 12:00pm.

 

Week Two      Legal Perspective

 

 

Dan Solove, Understanding Privacy.

 

            Guest lecture, Wednesday July 13.  Ben Cole, of KnowMe, M.S. Computer Science, Cambridge University

            Guest lecture, Thursday July 14.  Liva Piotto of JCU Library, on Library Research Methods

 

A one-page review of this book will be due on July 14 at 12:00pm

 

Week Three and Four           Technical and Policy Perspectives on both Government Electronic Surveillance and Consumer Privacy

 

 

Bruce Schneier, Data and Goliath

 

Mitrano, Tracy, “Civil Privacy and National Security Legislation: A Three-Dimensional View,” 2003, EDUCAUSE Review, http://er.educause.edu/articles/2003/1/civil-privacy-and-national-security-legislation-a-threedimensional-view

 

Mitrano, Tracy, “Students, Data, and Blurred Lines: A Closer Look at Google’s Attempt to Organize U.S. Youth and Student Information,” 2015, Medium,

            https://medium.com/@icpl.cornell.edu/students-data-and-blurred-lines-a-closer-look-  at-google-s-aim-to-organize-u-s-youth-and-student-3e78bca9cbd#.3ccivmupv

 

Assignment: Debate over the iPhone case.

 

 

Week Five      Class Presentations and Conclusion

 

                        Final paper, in lieu of a final exam, is due on 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.