INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Ernest A. Hakanen
OFFICE HOURS: By Appointment
OFFICE: PSA 325
EMAIL: HAKANEn@DREXEL.EDU
PHONE: 895.1354
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/faculty/eah22/
DESCRIPTION:
If we are in an information age, then policies regarding that which
makes the new age possible are extremely important in determining
what our society will look like, who will control it and who will
benefit. To be able to intelligently examine policies, we must first
look at policy-making structures. In this course, we will study the
role of business and government in telecommunications policy-making.
We will assess the motives and evaluate the effectiveness of those
informal and formal agencies that formulate and implement policy for
the telecommunications industry and the public. What is really
important is that we attempt to understand why these relationships
are more important than ever before (if they are).
All of this is back grounded by very complex questions. What is the
information age? How does the notion of an information age influence
the way rules and regulations have been made and will be made
regarding information and telecommunications technologies, the
driving force behind the age itself? And if we are in a new age
driven by information and telecommunications, does it make us
different? Are we living in a community vastly different from those
of the past?
GOALS:
You will become familiar with government agencies which influence
policy-making in the telecommunications arena. You will develop the
critical-analytical skills necessary for evaluating the utility and
effectiveness of these agencies and their policies in our information
age. This knowledge will help you understand the contexts in which
you work as an information specialist or engineer.
READINGS:
1) Reading of web-based materials (in
green)
2) Subscribe to daily news: http://www.benton.org/
3) Barney, D. (2004). The network society. Polity
4) Reserve in library
Other helpful sites:
http://www.itu.ch/
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/
http://www.fcc.gov/
http://china.si.umich.edu/telecom/telecom-info.html
http://www.law.indiana.edu/fclj/fclj.html
EVALUATION:
1a) Final Topic Presentation. (50%) 9th and 10th weeks.
b) Very short written explanation of your topic. Provide five sources
(5th week).
2) Group Presentation. (30%) (5th week).
3) Participation. (20%). Once during the term you will be called on
or volunteer to discuss one of the readings for that week.
SCHEDULE:
1 Introductions, Assignments
2 The network society chapters
chapters1, 2
3 The network society chapters 3-6
4 Development of a theory of
regulation.
Discussion Question: What are the formative power relationships? Can
we build a theory?
Readings Horwitz on reserve
5 Institutions and Theories of
Regulation
Who's in charge here?
Presentation 1
Web Readings: To be Split up
Players--ITU, NTIA, FCC, Congress and Citizens
ITU
http://www.itu.ch/
NTIA & IRAC
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/ntiafact050698.htm
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/org.html
FCC
http://www.fcc.gov/
US Copyright Agency
http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/
WIPO
http://www.wipo.int/eng/newindex/index.htm
RBOCs
ATT
WARC and US Department of State
6 Technological Convergence and
Policy-Making
Web Readings:Spectrum Reallocation Report
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/redbook/redbook.html
The telecom act of 1996
ftp://ftp.loc.gov/pub/thomas/c104/s652.enr.txt
Universal Service
readings on reserve: Sawhney
Web Readings:
Public Interest Standards
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/pubint.htm
7 Have Nots
http://www.pewtrusts.com/ideas/index.cfm?page=8&name=Grantee%20Reports&issue=10
http://www.benton.org/publibrary/index.html#thedigitaldivide
http://www.isoc.org/oti/articles/1201/huston.html
http://www.pewtrusts.com/ideas/index.cfm?page=8&name=Grantee%20Reports&issue=10
8 Global --GII, NWIO, Satellite
Reading on reserve: Masmoudi
Web Readings:
THE GLOBAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE: AGENDA FOR COOPERATION.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/giiagend.html
World Bank Profiles
http://www.worldbank.org/data/countrydata/ictglance.htm
http://info.worldbank.org/ict/
9 $ 10