(Un)Common

Reading: Net Freedom

IDH 3931 | Fall 2013 | Section 07F5 | 117 Little Hall Wednesdays 10:4011:30 a.m. (period 4) Instructor: Mindy McAdams, Professor, Department of Journalism E-mail: mmcadams@jou.ufl.edu Office: 3049 Weimer Hall Office hours: Mondays 11 a.m.2 p.m. | And by appointment Office phone: (352) 392-8456 (NOTE: E-mail is better. Much better.) WEBSITE: https://idh3931.wordpress.com/

Course Description
This course is part of the UF Honors Programs (Un)common Reading Program, which offers a selection of one-credit courses based on a single book. The book for this course is Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom, by Rebecca MacKinnon (Basic Books, 2012). When reading Consent of the Networked, youll realize that the Internet you use every day is not the same for people in other countries. We have no guarantees that our Internet will stay as it is today. What is at stake when new laws are passed? Who has the ability to alter the Internet you see? How will others views on piracy and privacy affect you? Through reading and discussion, this class explores personal freedom, media, and politics.

Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to identify and discuss, from an informed and up-to-date position, global governance of the Internet, threats to freedom of speech online, implications of the influence of multinational technology companies such as Google and Facebook, digital surveillance, privacy online, and other consequences of the network society in which we all live. Students will be able to describe a much wider Internet than the one they use every day, including the potential for change.

Attendance and Attitude

Students are expected to show respect for one another and for the instructor. Attendance and arriving on time for class are necessary. Lateness and absences will result in a lower final grade. If you have been absent, you are responsible for finding out about any missed material by going to the instructors office hours. These matters will not be handled via e-mail. Mobile devices must be turned OFF during class. Do not check text messages, e-mail, Facebook, etc., during class, as your instructor considers this quite rude and therefore grounds for disciplinary action. Give your full and undivided attention to anyone who is speaking in class, including your fellow students. Students are not permitted to use a computer during class unless instructed to do so. IDH 3931 syllabus / McAdams 1

UF Attendance Policies
> https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/attendance.aspx

Course Deadlines and Makeup Work

Late assignments are not accepted. This means that an assignment submitted late is graded as a zero. Assignments are not accepted via e-mail unless requested by the instructor. If an illness or a personal emergency prevents you from completing an assignment on time, advance notice and written documentation are required. No work for extra credit is accepted.

Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty of any kind is not tolerated in this course. It will be reported to the Dean of Students Office and to the director of the University Honors Programand it will result in a failing grade for this course. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: Copying and pasting the words or images of others and presenting them as your own. Using any work done by another person and submitting it for a class assignment. Submitting work you did for another class.

UF Student Honor Code

> http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/process/student-conduct-honor-code/

Students with Disabilities

Students requesting accommodations must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student, who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodations.

UF Disability Resource Center

> http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/

Required Book
Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom, by Rebecca MacKinnon (Basic Books, 2012). BUY THE PAPERBACK EDITIONit has a new afterword.

Required and Recommended Readings

Additional (short) readings will also be assigned in this course. These can be found week by week on the website.

IDH 3931 syllabus / McAdams

Course Requirements
Please make sure to check the course website at least once a week. If you rely only on a printed copy, you may miss a change in the schedule. New posts will be made throughout the semester. > WEBSITE: https://idh3931.wordpress.com/ The class will meet once a week. Readings from the book will be assigned each week. Students are always expected to complete the assigned reading before class. In class, the readings will be discussed. Discussions will be better if everyone reads the assigned texts carefully and with attention. Relevant websites and short videos may also be shown and discussed during class.

Reaction papers
Four brief (300600 words) reaction papers will be required. Reaction papers will require students to do some additional reading/research to extend the ideas found in the book. Students may submit five reaction papers, and the lowest grade will be dropped. The short length of the reaction papers requires the student to make every word count. Theres no room for sloppy thinking or rambling (the written equivalent of um er like, uh ) or repetitions. The instructor is looking for quality (not quantity) in your written expression of your own thoughts. Excessive quoting or paraphrasing is not necessary, and really, you dont have enough space to allow for that. Think about what you want to communicate. Be clear in saying what you mean.

Class attendance and participation

Students will be graded on attendance and participation in class. Points will be subtracted if you miss more than one (1) class meeting, are chronically late, leave class early, or show inattention. Participation is expected; points will be subtracted if you do not contribute thoughtfully.

Exams
There will be no exams in this course.

Grades and Grading Policies

Reaction papers (total = 4) Class attendance and participation TOTAL 92100 points 9091 points 8889 points 8287 points 8081 points 7879 points IDH 3931 syllabus / McAdams 3 A A B+ B B C+ 7277 points 7071 points 6869 points 6267 points 6061 points 59 points or fewer C C D+ D D E 80 points 20 points 100 points

UF Policies about Student Grades

> https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/grades.aspx

Course Evaluations
Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of instruction in this course based on 10 criteria. These evaluations are conducted online: https://evaluations.ufl.edu Evaluations are typically open during the final weeks of the semester. Students will be given specific dates when they are open. Summary results of these assessments are available to students: https://evaluations.ufl.edu/results/

Course Schedule and Required Readings

Please note that important details are on the website (https://idh3931.wordpress.com/) and do not appear herein. Additional readings will be linked on the website.

Week 1 | Aug. 21
Introduction to the course.

Week 2 | Aug. 28
Consent and sovereignty; power relations. Read: MacKinnon, Foreword to the Paperback Edition, Preface, Introduction, and Chapter 1.

Week 3 | Sept. 4
The digital commons. Read: MacKinnon, Chapter 2.

Week 4 | Sept. 11
Networked authoritarianism. Read: MacKinnon, Chapter 3. Due: Reaction paper 1 (covers Part 1).

Week 5 | Sept. 18
Technologies that constrain freedom. Read: MacKinnon, Chapter 4.

Week 6 | Sept. 25
Surveillance and Wikileaks. Read: MacKinnon, Chapter 5. Due: Reaction paper 2 (covers Part 2).

IDH 3931 syllabus / McAdams

Week 7 | Oct. 2
Censorship; copyrights and intellectual property. Read: MacKinnon, Chapters 6 and 7.

Week 8 | Oct. 9
Corporate censorship. Read: MacKinnon, Chapter 8.

Week 9 | Oct. 16
Class will not meet. Due: Reaction paper 3 (covers Part 3).

Week 10 | Oct. 23
Corporations will give you up (email is not private). Read: MacKinnon, Chapter 9.

Week 11 | Oct. 30
Facebookistan and Googledom. Read: MacKinnon, Chapter 10.

Week 12 | Nov. 6
Global Internet law and corporate social responsibility. Read: MacKinnon, Chapter 11. Due: Reaction paper 4 (covers Part 4).

Week 13 | Nov. 13
A policy for Internet freedom; global governance of the Internet. Read: MacKinnon, Chapters 12 and 13.

Week 14 | Nov. 20
Building an Internet that serves the netizens. Read: MacKinnon, Chapter 14.

Week 15 | Nov. 27
Thursday is Thanksgiving. Class will not meet on Wednesday.

Week 16 | Dec. 4
Read: MacKinnon, Afterword to the Paperback Edition (pages 251268). Course summary and conclusions. Due: Reaction paper 5 (covers Part 5).

IDH 3931 syllabus / McAdams

UF Dates (Fall 2013)

Classes begin Drop/Add Classes end Final exams Sept. 2 Nov. 89 Nov. 11 Nov. 2730 Aug. 21 Aug. 2127 Dec. 4 Dec. 713 Labor Day Homecoming Veterans Day Thanksgiving

IDH 3931 syllabus / McAdams