BSOS 359T, Spring 2001, Tu/Th
3:30 - 4:45, 0104 Woods
Debra DeRuyver, http://www.wam.umd.edu/~toad
Email: dd131@umail.umd.edu
Office Hours: Tu/Th 5:00 - 6:15 pm, 1137 Taliaferro or by appointment
Phone: 301.405.8444 (office), 301.305.0788 (cell)
Overview
As a model of distributed information sharing and knowledge creation, the Internet tantalizes us with utopian visions of an expanded public sphere where all voices are heard and decisions are formulated on the basis of consensus while simultaneously frightening us with images of big brother and a profound lack of privacy and freedom. But, what actually happens when politics goes online? Are aspects of the medium, like hypertext and email, inherently political in someway or are they simply tools? Similarly, has the history of the Internet influenced online culture and the types of leaders and leadership that has emerged online? If so, how?
And, who's online anyway? How does access impact the political potentials of the
Internet? In addition to thinking about the theoretical and historical issues involved, this class will examine real world activist uses of the Internet over the past ten years.
Required Course Materials:
A course packet of readings will be available at B.S.O.S. copy center on campus, 1105 Tydings Hall. NOTE: B.S.O.S. is only open M-F:
8:30am-12:30pm, and 1:00pm-4:30pm and, they do not take credit cards or Terrapin Express. I will announce in class when the course packet is
done. A number of our readings will only be available online. If you do not have access to the Web from home, you will want to establish a print
account so you can access these pages in the computer center and print them out.
By the second week of class this syllabus will be mounted
online with hotlinks to these readings. Until the course packet is done,
readings that are not online will be passed out in class the week before they
are to be discussed. If you miss class, make sure you get a copy of the
reading from a classmate or by stopping by my office.
Assignments:
In addition to the explicit content of the class, this course offers you an opportunity to develop critical reading, writing and analytical skills. An important aim of the course is to help you
read not only for comprehension of content, but also to understand the underlying assumptions and modes of analysis various authors use.
Another aim is to expose you to the potentials and the problems of using the
Internet for activist action. The following course requirements will require you to synthesize ideas and information from the
course material and your own experiences. You will be expected to come to your own conclusions and
support them with intellectual integrity. The readings, lectures, papers, and
discussions are an essential part of your work this semester, but alone they are not enough. You will be expected to work with what you learn.
While you must do the assigned readings and writing this semester, regurgitation is not education. You are expected, therefore, to be mindful
that it is necessary for you to reflect on the materials and ideas that are presented to you.
Your performance in this course will be evaluated through the assignment of grades in the following areas. The percentages indicate how each
grade will be weighted when determining your final course grade.
The grading scale is as follows: A+ = 14, A =13, A- = 12, B+ = 11 etc.
NOTE: An F can range from 0-2. Failure to complete work will result in a 0 for that assignment. Also, while late papers are accepted, they will be penalized one whole letter grade per any part of each 24 hour period. If late papers are not handed to me personally, they must be time and date stamped by one of the Academy's office staff prior to placement in my mailbox. Excuses like broken printers, etc. will not be accepted. This campus has excellent 24/7 computing facilities. Please become acquainted with them prior to one hour before your papers are due.
Homework, Quizzes & In-Class Assignments:
15% of your grade will reflect your performance on daily homework
assignments. Typically, homework will take the form of email responses to
the readings assigned for each day. While I would prefer not to waste
class time with in-class quizzes, I reserve the right to do so. At the end of the semester each student will be allowed to drop his or her
lowest quiz or homework score. In-class assignments will vary; they may,
for example, take the form of leading class discussion or doing a short
presentation on your final project.
Discussion:
20% of your grade will be based on your discussion of issues in-class. You may also use the class'
email list to continue or begin new discussions. A central assumption of this course is that active participation and
exchange in class is the most effective and stimulating form
of learning. Therefore, we will use a seminar format. This means that class meetings will stress analysis and discussion of assigned readings;
lectures will be kept to a minimum. Each day we will give fairly intense consideration to the assigned readings
while moving outward to
broader questions? You must bring your texts to class each day. As the instructor, I will provide some contexts for the topics
under study and offer interpretations of my own for you to consider. I will also play devil's advocate on many occasions. The essence of the
class should be discussion. Discussions are collective enterprises which, to function successfully, demand every member's preparation,
attendance, and participation. While students will vary in their conversational styles, learning to participate in discussion involves social and
intellectual skills that are an essential part of education. These skills include: listening to others and learning to absorb and synthesize their
remarks; learning to respond constructively and analytically to others' ideas; learning to develop and articulate positions of one's own;
responding to criticism; and learning to modify or discard an argument as one comes to see another, more satisfactory one. You should come to
class eager to exchange ideas about the topics under study, ready to speculate and to question and also to ask for explanations when you feel
confused. Please be forewarned: While attendance certainly affects your ABILITY to participate, it does not EQUAL participation.
E-mail Participation: E-mail exchanges may also be used as a form of class participation. E-mail participation may take various forms: continuation of a class discussion, further thoughts on a reading, application of the class material to current events, response to another student's email post, or response to a question I pose over email. As with face to face participation, successful emails will thoughtfully expand upon (or raise new) ideas. There is no minimum e-mail requirement for this class however, each student must have an email account either through campus or an isp of your choice (e.g. aol) and should plan to check his or her email several times per week. I will periodically post important information to you via email regarding class assignments and readings. I will set up an e-mail reflector after class today. For those of you unfamiliar with e-mail reflectors they provide a simple way of communicating with a group of people. Every time a message is sent to the reflector it will be automatically redistributed to every member of the class.
To send a message to the entire class use this address: scan-team@umail.umd.edu
Note: completion of homework via email does not count toward class discussion.
Midterm Exam:
25% of your grade will be based on a midterm exam.
Cyberculture Working Group Conference:
You are required to attend the Cyberculture Working Group Conference
"Constructing Cyberculture(s): Performance, Pedagogy, and Politics in
Online Space," on Saturday April 7th. This conference is being held
on campus and is free of charge. Class on Thursday, April 5th is
cancelled. After the conference program is published, I will assign
particular sessions to attend. A short write-up of the conference
experience will be due the following Tuesday.
Final Project:
20% of your grade will be based on a final research project. Detailed
instructions for the project will be handed out in class after spring
break. Examples of projects might include: studying the "June
18th" protests for the 1999 G8 summit, the role of the Internet in the 2000
presidential election, or the online activism of a particular
organization. The final project will require you to conduct research
outside of class and compare/contrast your findings with the issues discussed in
course materials. Final projects will be due on the last day of
class.
Final Exam:
10% of your grade will be based on a final in-class exam during exam
week.
Attendance Policy
Because class participation plays a major role in this class, attendance is mandatory. Absences will be excused
for religious observation, participation in University activities, serious illness, and "compelling circumstances" beyond your control.
If at any point in the semester these exceptions apply to you, you are required to notify me either with an e-mail note or by calling
my office as soon as possible; you must also provide me with official documentation regarding the absence. Failure to
notify me within a reasonable amount of time after a missed class (preferably by the next class meeting) will jeopardize your
request for an excused absence.
While excused absences will not affect your grade, if you receive more than three unexcused absences, your final grade in the class will be lowered by one whole letter grade (e.g. from B to C). Please don't waste my time and yours trying to get an excused absence for something routine like allergies, a sinus infection, or bad traffic. Check weather conditions ahead of time and prepare accordingly; schedule a routine doctor's visit at a time other than class. Otherwise, you will have to accept the consequences of your actions-- an unexcused absence. Regardless of the circumstances, you will be responsible for the content of any readings, lectures, presentations, special assignments, and discussions missed during an absence. Make sure you catch up with a classmate before your return. I will place extra copies of handouts and assignments in a class mailbox in the Academy of Leadership common room. This room is typically open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Quizzes and in class assignments missed due to unexcused absences may not be made up. Please note that if you are 1-15 minutes late to class you will receive a 1/2 absence for that day. If you are more than fifteen minutes late you will receive a full absence. However, I strongly encourage you to attend class even if you are more than fifteen minutes late.
Academic Integrity:
Please familiarize yourself with the University of Maryland code of Academic Integrity. For your protection I have excerpted part
of it below. Acts of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. I will turn over any evidence or information regarding academic
dishonesty to the Student Honor Council. The Code of Academic Integrity is reprinted in full in the Undergraduate catalog. For
further information contact the Student Honor Council, 2118 Mitchell Building (314- 8204).
I. The Code
The University is an academic community. Its fundamental purpose is the pursuit of knowledge. Like all other communities, the
university can function properly only if its members adhere to clearly established goals and values. Essential to the fundamental
purpose of the university is the commitment to the principles of truth and academic honesty. Accordingly, the Code of Academic
Integrity is designed so that special responsibility for upholding the principle of academic honesty lies with the students.
II. Definitions
Academic Dishonesty: any of the following acts, when committed by a student shall constitute academic dishonesty:
B. Fabrication: intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
C. Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another violate any provision of this Code.
D. Plagiarism: intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise.
All members of the university community- students, faculty, and staff- share the responsibility and authority to challenge and make known acts of apparent academic dishonesty.
Academic dishonesty is a serious offense which may result in suspension or expulsion from the University. The normal sanction for academic dishonesty is a grade of "XF" denoting "failure due to academic dishonesty." That grade will normally be recorded on the transcripts of the student found responsible for acts of academic dishonesty in addition to any other action taken (e.g. suspension or expulsion). A forty member Student Honor Council has the responsibility to investigate allegations of academic dishonesty and to convene Honor Boards to adjudicate charges.
Snow Policy:
If snow or ice present threatening conditions, check to see if the University is open by watching local TV stations, listening to
WTOP radio (AM 1500), or calling campus information at 405- 1000. If the university is open during scheduled class time, class is
on. If the university is closed, class is canceled. If class is canceled, stick with the syllabus. The next class session to meet will
follow the syllabus. On the first class day after school reopens all assignments and readings due for that day, as well as all
assignments and readings scheduled during the closure, will be discussed.
Class Schedule:
Schedule, readings, and guest speakers are subject to change.
|
Week 1 |
Introductions |
| Tuesday January 30 |
Introductions |
| Thursday February 1 |
Class cancelled. Debra is presenting at the American Association for History and Computing conference. Read for next week!! |
|
Week 2 |
Cyberpolitics I |
| Tuesday February 6 |
"Introduction," "Internet Leviathan" (chapter 1) "Internet Activists," (chapter 2) and "Building Communities in Cyberspace" (chapter 3) by Kevin A. Hill and John E. Hughs in Cyberpolitics: Citizen Activism in the Age of the Internet |
| Thursday February 8 |
"Is the Internet an Instrument of Global Democratization?" (chapter 4), and "Instantaneous Political Discussion: America Online's Chat Rooms" (chapter 5) by Kevin A. Hill and John E. Hughs in Cyberpolitics: Citizen Activism in the Age of the Internet |
|
Week 3 |
Cyberpolitics II |
| Tuesday February 13 |
"Web Sites, Interest Groups, and Politics," (chapter 6) and "The Internet and the Future of Political Communication" (chapter 7) by Kevin A. Hill and John E. Hughs in Cyberpolitics: Citizen Activism in the Age of the Internet |
| Thursday February 15 |
"Electronic Lobbying," by Richard Davis in The Web of Politics and "The Virtual Campaign," by Richard Davis in The Web of Politics |
|
Week 4 |
Cyberpolitics III |
| Tuesday February 20 |
Reading on Usenet in Democracy in the Digital Age and reading to be announced. |
| Thursday February 22 |
"Campaign 2000: The Internet's Political Impact," by Charles Bowen in The Fourth Estate; "Arizona: Cradle of Cyberdemocracy," by Jason Williams in The Fourth Estate; "E-Savvy Politics," by Emily Fromm in Marketing Magazine; "Click Your Mouse and Vote," by John Naughton in New Stateman; "Can Dotcoms Really Make Politics Pay?" by John Greenwald in Time; "Election 2000: Surf and Be Counted," by Ken Kerschbaumer in Broadcasting & Cable. |
|
Week 5 |
Public Sphere or Panopticon? |
| Tuesday February 27 |
"Democracy in the Age of Information: A Reconception of the Public Sphere" by Dennis Gaynor and "The Internet and Democracy," by Stephen Lax in web.studies |
| Thursday March 1 |
"Disinformacracy," by Howard Rheingold in Virtual Community and "Spew" by Neal Stephenson in Wired Magazine |
|
Week 6 |
Digital Divide I |
| Tuesday March 6 |
Executive Summary of the 4th Falling Through the
NeT Report, "Falling
Through the Net: Towards Digital Inclusion." and Executive Summary of the
3rd Falling Through the Net Report, "Falling
Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide" and "Losing Ground Bit by Bit: Low Income Communities in the Information
Age,"
by The Benton Foundation and "Is
Closing the Digital Divide More Important Than Providing Health Care?"
Feel free to also peruse the full reports on the
digital divide from the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration and additional
information on the Benton Foundation's Digital
Divide Web site. |
| Thursday March 8 |
"Electronic Frontiers and Online Activists," by Howard Rheingold in Virtual Community. Guest Speaker: Shelly Wilsey |
|
Week 7 |
Digital Divide II |
| Tuesday March 13 |
"Cyber-Sovereignty and Opportunities for Tribes," by the Benton Foundation, in Native Networking: Telecommunications and Information Technology in Indian Country (Note: Click on background and read the above mentioned section. This file is in a pdf format. If you do not have a pdf reader on your computer, you will have to download adobe's free acrobat reader prior to viewing this document. Feel free to peruse the other sections of the report) the section and "The Cherokee Indians and the Internet," by Ellen L. Arnold and Darcy C. Plymire in web.studies. (handed out in class) |
| Thursday March 15 |
"Resource Requirements of Digitally Mediated Political Life," by Anthony Wilhelm in Democracy and the Digital Age and "Immune to Progress: Reconceptualizing America's Information and Telecommunications Underclass," by Anthony Wilhelm in Democracy and the Digital Age |
|
Week 8 |
Spring Break!!!!!! |
| Tuesday March 20 |
|
| Thursday March 22 |
|
|
Week 9 |
Activism Online |
| Tuesday March 27 |
Midterm Exam |
| Thursday March 29 |
Pam Fielding of e-advocates.com will give a guest talk! |
|
Week 10 |
Online Public History as Activism |
| Tuesday April 3 |
"Building Social Networks with Computer Networks," by Tom Thurston and thoroughly explore the following Web sites RepoHistory and "My History is Your History" paying particular attention to the ways in which these history oriented Web sites promote and practice activism. |
| Thursday April 5 |
Class cancelled |
|
Saturday April 7 |
Cyberculture Working Group Conference, "Constructing Cyberculture(s): Performance, Pedagogy, and Politics in Online Space." Attendance is mandatory. A short write-up of the conference experience will be due Tuesday, April 10th. |
|
Week 11 |
Hackers as Activists |
| Tuesday April 10 |
"The Digital Underground," by Bruce Sterling in Hacker Crackdown and "Law and Order," by Bruce Sterling in Hacker Crackdown. Readings are in coursepack |
| Thursday April 12 |
"The Civil Libertarians," by Bruce Sterling in Hacker Crackdown and "New Ways to Break the Law: Cybercrime and the Politics of Hacking," by Douglas Thomas in web.studies. Readings are in coursepack. |
|
Week 12 |
Women and Online Activism |
| Tuesday April 17 |
"Online Activism for Women's Rights," by Jo Sutton and Scarlet Pollock in CyberPsychology & Behavior and "World Wide Women and the Web," by Wendy Harcourt in web.studies. |
| Thursday April 19 |
Guest Speaker: Gisèle Mills. Gisèle ran the technology center at the Rio Environmental conference, participated in the Beijing women's conference, produces Cd-Roms for Sweet Honey and the Rock, and is involved in local community technology centers. |
|
Week 13 |
Online Art as Activism |
| Tuesday April 24 |
"The Virtual Bario @ the Other Frontier (or The Chicano Interneta)" by Guillermo Gómez-Peña in Clicking In and peruse online art/activism sites like desktoptheater.org and rhizome.org. |
| Thursday April 26 |
Library Day! |
|
Week 14 |
Global Activism Online I |
| Tuesday May 1 |
"Computer-linked Social Movements and the Global Threat to Capitalism," by Harry Cleaver and "The Zapatistas and the Electronic Fabric of Struggle," by Harry Cleaver |
| Thursday May 3 |
"Networking in a War Zone: The Case of Former Yugoslavia," by Jim Walch, in In the Net and "The World Wide Web Goes to War: Kosovo 1999," by Philip M. Taylor, in web.studies. Guest Speaker: Sandor Vegh, "Resistance in Cyberspace." |
|
Week 15 |
Global Activism Online II |
| Tuesday May 8 |
|
| Thursday May 10 |
Guest Speaker: Nathan Kommers, "Antiglobalization Activism Online." |
|
Week 16 |
Wrap-Up |
| Tuesday May 15 |
Wrap-up. Final projects due |
| May 17-23 Exams | Final Exam |