COM 650

COM 650 TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY IN THE INFORMATION AGE

SPRING 2006/2007

Instructor: Al Stegeman

310 PSA (sic) Building; stegemal@drexel.edu; 215.895.2734 (Home: 215.465.2347)

Office Hours: 2:30-5:00 Mondays, Tuesdays, & Wednesdays, and by appointment.

COURSE OVERVIEW:

This course explores the formal as well as the informal controls which determine the shape and functions of the telecommunications grid. We will ask the questions: “what happens when controls are put into place on our technological channels of communication,” “who is doing the controlling,” “why is it being done,” “who is benefiting from it,” and “how do all of these processes shape our world, both today, and tomorrow.” In so doing, you will learn about the various entities, and their policies, regulating telecommunications as well as develop analytic skills to critically evaluate those agencies and their policies.

READINGS:

1) Textbooks:

Barney, Darin. The Network Society. 2004. Polity Press. Maldin, MA.

Lenard, Thomas and Randolph May eds. Net Neutrality or Net Neutering: Should Broadband Internet Services Be Regulated? 2006. Springer Publishing. New York.

2) On-line News Alerts:

Subscribe to daily news: http://www.benton.org/

Subscribe to Google Alerts (http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en) for the following terms: “telecom policy,” “telecommunications policy,” “telecom,” and “telecommunications”

3) Additional on-line references, as noted in the sylabus.

PROJECTS AND GRADING:

1) Research Paper/Presentation. You will be asked to investigate some aspect/question about telecommunications policy which you feel particularly interested in. After you have fully researched this issue, you will be asked to write a well documented, 10-20 page, report exploring the key aspects of the topic. This paper will be worth 30% of your final grade. You will also be asked to make a presentation to the class on your research, as well as field any questions, at the end of the term (Weeks 9 & 10). This presentation will be worth 20% of your final grade. To assist you in this process, time will be allocated in Week 5 for you to make a brief introductory presentation of your topic to the class, in order to generate feedback and help from your peers. To facilitate this exchange, you will be asked to have prepared a very short written explanation of your topic, along with a list of at least 5 initial sources.

2) Group Debate over Net Neutrality. You will be assigned into a group either in favor of, or in opposition to, “net neutrality.” This project will be worth 30% of your final grade. In Week 7, both groups will face-off in a debate on the subject. Each side will initially be allowed a maximum of 40 minutes to present their case, after which, each side will be allowed 10 minutes for rebuttal. Everyone must have an active role in the debate. Grading will not be based upon which side “wins” the debate, but rather in how well they represent the key concerns associated with their respective sides. Grades will be shared for all members of the individual teams.

COM 650—Stegeman, p. 2

3) Class Participation. This will account for 20% of your final grade. Throughout the term you will be expected to actively participate in the topic discussion for that day. Additionally, you should be prepared to discuss any of the readings assigned for that week. The quality of your scholarly interaction will be the determinant of your grade.

COURSE TIMETABLE:

Week 1 Introductions, Assignments

Week 2 The Network Society chapters1, 2

Week 3 The Network Society chapters 3-6

Turn in research paper topic (1 paragraph).

Week 4 Institutions and Theories of Regulation

Who's in charge here? Players--ITU, NTIA, FCC, Congress and Industry

(review the following for general familiarity)

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/