ict and ir bb syllabus

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ADDRESS Avenida Don Jaime de Mora y Aragón s/n Finca El Pinillo 29601, Marbella | Málaga | Spain WEB SITE www.miuc.org

COURSE CODE: XX

Course Name: ICT in International Relations Credit: 6 Instructor Information: Instructor: María Florenzano, MPhil Email : [email protected] Office Hours: Mondays 12:00-14:00h or by appointment Meetings: Mon/Wed/Fri ⏐14.50-16.00 Classroom: Work


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Course Information: With more than 7 billion cell phone subscriptions in the world, and 42% of the world´s population online (ITU), we have reached an unprecedented level of global interconnectivity. These numbers are growing rapidly, bringing dramatic socio-cultural, economic, and political changes in societies around the world. The voices of young, technology-empowered societies are influencing the international community, transforming modern politics. A good example of this is social media and the eruption of the Arab Spring, or the on-going Egyptian Revolution and their use of hashtags (#18DaysInEgypt) and digital storytelling platforms. However, the impact of this revolution in information technology is reaching far beyond the demonstrations in Tehran and the Tahir Square. Technology is enabling a dramatic transformation in peace building, and students will have to research and stay informed of all these examples of new modes of conflict but also of cooperation. This course will study the new challenges that IR is facing from a theoretical point of view, but also from a practical and empirical approach, with the research and use of different web tools and cases. We will also discuss the impact of modern ICT on diplomacy, and we will analyse the virtual diplomatic network, studying how world leaders connect on Twitter for example (#DigitalDiplomacy). New Technologies in International Relations is a core course for all International Relations students. Students are expected to develop a critical thinking to the issues explored during each lesson and will be asked to actively participate during classroom discussions and analysis. If you anticipate issues related to the format or requirements of this course, feel free to approach me. I would like us to discuss ways to ensure your full participation in the course. If formal, disability-related support is necessary, it is very important that your register with the Office of Disability Services at MIUC so that I am notified of your eligibility for suitable support. We can them plan how to best accommodate your needs,


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Textbook/Course Materials: There is no text book for this course. All required readings and related resources will be available through Blackboard or in MIUC’s library. Recommended readings

Youngs, Gillian. Digital World: Connectivity, Creativity and Rights. Routledge, 2013

Choucri, Nazli. Cyberpolitics in International Relations. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2012

McCaughey, Martha. Cyberactivism on the Participatory Web. New York: Routledge, 2014

Giacomello, Giampiero. Security in Cyberspace: Targeting Nations, Infrastructures, Individuals. New York: Bloomsbury, 2014

Course 2.0. Learning tools

§ Presentations: Most of the classroom slides will be presented with the Interactive Whiteboard Software ActivInspire. You should download a free copy of the software here (personal edition), this free license will allow you to see and manipulate all the course presentations. Class slides will also be available every week on BlackBoard LMS system on a pdf format.

§ Twitter:

We will have a forum opened on twitter under the hashtag #IRmiuc. If you still have not joined Twitter, this is the moment, as you will need it for the correct fulfillment of the course. Here are some interestingTwitter accounts that will get you started:

Foreign Policy Tweeters § LinkedIn:

To a lesser extent, but as a part of building a good personal and virtual learning environment (PLE/VLE), we will have a look at our LinkedIn professional profiles and follow some of the IR groups in this social network tool. The networking possibilities that both Twitter and LinkedIn offer as well as the access to quality, brand new information and relevant opinions mean regular use of these tools is an essential requirement of the course.


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§ Digital curation:

Each student will have to preserve and maintain a good collection of digital resources, looking for different assets about IR&IT, and having to select, filter and classifying them with the appropriate curation tool. In our course, we will use Scoop. We will use digital curation to improve the quality of the information and data released within the IR&IT topic, keeping the information accessible to all our students and being able to differentiate the necessities and interests of each individual.

§ Other tools:

Classflow, Flipgrid, VoiceThread… 2) Course Policies: In the event that a class meeting is unexpectedly cancelled, students will be expected to continue with readings or other assignments as originally scheduled. Any assignments due or class activities (e.g., a quiz, exam or presentation) planned for such a cancelled class are due at the next class meeting unless other instructions are communicated. The make-up class for the one missed will be announced at least with a week notice and will as far as possible be happening on the following Friday. Grading/Evaluation: Grade Scale: Grade Components: A 93%-100% A- 90%-92% 25 % Mid-Term B+ 87%-89% 25 % Written Paper & Oral Presentation B 83%-86% 25 % Final B- 80%-82% 25 % Participation C+ 70%-74% C 65%-69% C- 60%-64% D 55%-59% F 0%-54%


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Late assignments will be graded 5% down for each delayed day (24 hours). Assignments/Exams/Papers/Projects: Students will be evaluated in the following areas: Exams: XX Paper/Coursework: XX Presentation/Project: XX Participation/Attendance Policy: The MIUC Student Handbook states the following: Once a student is registered for a course, attendance at every meeting of every class is expected, including those held in the first week of the semester. A maximum of two unjustified absences is permitted. Each additional absence will cause the final course grade to be lowered by one-third of a letter grade, i.e., from A to A-; A- to B+; B+ to B, etc. Excessive absences in a course will have a negative effect on the final grade. When a student is absent, the quality of his or her work in a course will deteriorate since material missed in class sessions can rarely be made up satisfactorily, even though the student remains responsible for that work. Please note that even when a student has a justified reason for missing class, such as illness, the negative academic impact on learning will be the same as if the absence were for spurious reasons. Academic Integrity Policy: Student work may be checked by plagiarism detection software. Cheating on examinations, plagiarism and/or improper acknowledgment of sources in essays or research papers, and the use of a single essay or paper in more than one course without the permission of the instructor constitute unacceptable academic conduct. Academic dishonesty will be reported to the MIUC Academic Standing Committee. Reports will be addressed through the Student Discipline System. An undergraduate student who has been found to have violated this policy is subject to an automatic grade of “F” in the course and to suspension, enforced withdrawal or dismissal from the University, or appropriate lesser penalties if warranted by the circumstances. Classroom policies:


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• Respect for all religions, ideologies, ethnic groups and gender is most expected. Be open,

respectful and engaged. • You are required to attend each class session prepared to participate and think critically during

lecture and discussion sessions. I will value creativity and criticism. • The MIUC Campus requires regular attendance. Following the reading assigned for each session

will be required. Two unjustified absences will be allowed. Further unjustif ied absences wil l lower the grade 1 point for each subsequent absence. Justified absences require relevant documentation. Attendance is a must. 10 % of your final grade will be given on your participation in class. Keep these numbers in mind.

• All required assignments are to be submitted on time. Essays that are handed in late will be marked down.

• Anyone who has problems to attend class or deliver work on time should speak to the instructor beforehand. We all have problems, but talk to me!

• Punctuality is needed. Tardiness is at best a rude disruption to your fellow classmates who are punctual.

Course Goals & Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, students wil l know/understand

Upon successful completion of this course, students wil l be able to

How the student wil l be assessed on these learning outcomes

− Modern ICT

− Understand the dynamics of new technologies − Identify new communication tools and its

mechanisms − Think critically about the role of new

information and communication technology in our lives and the lives of people internationally.

− Demonstrate a good use of different web 2.0 tools − Demonstrated

knowledge of the readings in class discussion

− New challenges that International Relations are facing

− Identify and explain new technology concepts − Familiarize students with differences in

new communication technology on a global level − Demonstrate knowledge of the processes

and mechanisms of new media

− Active, appropriate and positive class participation

- Global network society

− Describe the impact of global communication − Identify institutions and practices that

− Demonstrated knowledge of the readings in class


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structure the form and content of global communications

discussion

− Changing nature of international relations

− Describe the challenges that come up in a society that is becoming more and more powerfully interconnected

− Demonstrated knowledge of the readings in class discussion

− How to think/approach international relations’ issues from a critical and independent approach/way

− Apply a set of tools for thinking critically about the role of new communication − Technology in our lives and the lives of

people internationally − Critical understanding about the

complexity involves in any international − Have the ability to critically assess and

improve own papers.

− Final project − Final Paper (10 pp.)

Course Schedule: The schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better student learning. Week General Topic of Lesson Readings or other Assignments Due Week 1

Introduction to the course. Syllabus and rules of the game. Our online identities and digital prints.

Week 2

From analogue to digital. Internet history timeline. Dipity project.

The Participatory web in the context of academic research, Mendes Da Costa, PhD Thesis.

Week 3

The participatory website. Twitter, Facebook and Cyberactivism. The political power of Social Media.

Expect us: online communities and political mobilization / Jessica L. Beyer Gladwell, M. Twitter, Facebook, and social activism. The New Yorker, 2010.

Week 4

Internet Open source tools for self-organising democracy.

Cyberactivism on the Participatory Web / Edited by Martha McCaughey

Week 5

Social conflicts and the role of technology. Technology for violence and conflict prevention. #Tech4Peace

Democracy bytes : new media, new politics and generational change / Judith Bessant

Week 6

Technology and territory: Crowdsourcing and (local) conflict

Peacetechlab.org


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prevention. Helena Puig Conference on Technology Projects for Peace. Work on Group Projects

Week 7

Narratives and social movements. New literacies. The role of Collective Storytelling in social and political movements

HBO Neda’s story; #18DaysinEgypt; #OccupyHK Prezi´s and blogs presentations.

Week 8

Work on project presentations Digital Technology Project

Week 9

Group Project Presentations

Week 10

Internet governance. Security and ICT in the Information Age. Censorship, Cablegate and Wikileaks.

“The role of the state in securing the Information Age. Challenges and prospects”, in Power and Security in the Information Age. Cavelty, Maner… “Regulation, censorship and rights” in Global Politics. A new Introduction. Edkins and Zehfuss, Routledge 2014 IR Circuit blog; Weekly Wire: The Global Forum; Stability Journal;

Week 11

Cyberwar/ Cyberterrorism Thomas M. Chen Cyberterrorism Understanding, Assessment, and Response . Springer 2014. The Economist issue on Cyberwar.

Week 12

Attributing Cyber Attacks Thomas Rida & Ben Buchanana, 2014, Journal of Strategic Studies

Week 13

Real-Time Diplomacy. Virtual Diplomatic Network. How world leaders connect on Twitter.

Cyberpolitics in International Relations / Nazli Choucri Real-Time Diplomacy, Chapter 4. Seib, P. McMillan 2012.

Week 14

eDiplomacy. Sweden and Canada’s Digital Diplomacy initiatives. #DigitalDiplomacy and “Twiplomacy”

Twiplomacy Study. International Relations on Twitter. 2012

*This schedule and its belonging session are subject to change without prior notice means. Make-Up Exams


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Make-up exams will be given only in the event of a medical emergency! Proper medical documentation must be provided. Students are allowed to request (ahead of time!) a change of exam date if they have more than 2 midterms/finals on the same day or if exams are scheduled simultaneously.

ict and ir bb syllabus

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